The New York Jets have sacked general manager Joe Douglas after a demoralising loss to the Indianapolis Colts, meaning Aaron Rodgers has lost yet another colleague
Aaron Rodgers remains the last man standing in New York as the Jets have followed up the sacking of head coach Robert Saleh with the dismissal of general manager Joe Douglas.
The Jets suffered a defeat to the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, slipping to a 3-8 record. The NFL franchise is already virtually out of playoff contention, marking a humiliating failure given the hype and expectation that accompanied Rodgers’ arrival.
Last month saw the shock firing of head coach Saleh. With results continuing to go downhill, it’s clear the owners are frustrated, leading to Douglas following Saleh out the door. It’s yet to be seen whether Jets owner Woody Johnson will spearhead the latest overhaul of the beleaguered Jets franchise, or if he’ll join President Donald Trump’s incoming administration as he did from 2016-2020.
If he does join, his brother Christopher is likely to take over. Douglas’ departure also means Rodgers loses another ally who was dedicated to seeing the four-time MVP succeed in New York.
Johnson said in a statement: “Today, I informed Joe Douglas he will no longer serve as the General Manager of the New York Jets. I want to thank Joe for his commitment to the Jets over the last six years and wish him and his family the best moving forward.
“Phil Savage will be the Interim General Manager for the remainder of the season. We will begin the process to identify a new General Manager immediately.”
The more the franchise leans towards a refresh and rebuild, the less likely it seems that Rodgers will return to the team in 2025 – especially considering how the 2024 season has unfolded. Under Douglas, the Jets had some notable draft successes in identifying talent, much of which came from the 2022 Draft class. In one draft, the Jets secured Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson, Jermaine Johnson, and Breece Hall.
Despite the addition of four talented players who seem to be key figures in their respective positions, Douglas has remained in his role as various trades and other moves have not worked out. The most significant of these is the failure to properly address the quarterback position; Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles in 2023, and has been a shadow of his former self in 2024.
With a record of 3-8, the Jets are languishing at the bottom of the AFC East, sharing the same record as the New England Patriots, who had no expectations of success this season.
The promising performances by rookie quarterback Drake Maye are a positive for the Patriots, providing a stark contrast to their rivals; the Jets have no such optimism moving forward with their struggling 40-year-old under centre, especially since the team was built to accommodate him.
In essence, the 2024 season has been an absolute disaster. The Jets are on track to go down in NFL history for all the wrong reasons; they will be remembered as one of the league’s biggest failures given the Super Bowl predictions made in their favour during the offseason.
Instead, the Jets’ season has resulted in both the head coach and general manager losing their jobs. Perhaps Rodgers, who has thrown for 2,442 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions in 2024, is next.
