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Rich Cimini, ESPN writer
After falling to 2-2 with a one-point loss to the Denver Broncos, New York Jets owner Woody Johnson called an internal meeting on September 30 with his top football executives. In that meeting, Johnson, concerned about the direction of the team, broached the idea of benching quarterback Aaron Rodgers, multiple sources confirmed to ESPN.
Johnson’s suggestion, first reported by The Athletic, sparked different reactions. A source who attended the meeting indicated that it was “said jokingly and in a provocative manner.” Others at the meeting interpreted it differently.
One source said Johnson appeared to be serious, while another said: “If Woody really wanted Rodgers benched, he would have been benched.”
Rodgers survived the threat (it’s unclear if he knew it) but two people at the meeting are no longer with the team. Eight days later, Johnson fired coach Robert Saleh after more than three seasons. On Tuesday, general manager Joe Douglas suffered the same fate after more than five seasons on the job.
The Jets (3-8), one of the NFL’s biggest disappointments, are primed for an organizational reset this offseason. The search for a new general manager is now underway, Johnson announced Tuesday.
The September 30 meeting, previously reported by ESPN, turned out to be a defining moment in the season. It created tension in the building, and a source said at the time that Johnson was “bloodthirsty.”
Typically, Johnson meets with Douglas and Saleh after each game. This was a larger-scale meeting because it included the three coordinators and other members of management, which changed the tenor. People were stunned when Rodgers’ employment status was mentioned.
The four-time MVP didn’t play particularly well in a 10-9 loss to the Broncos, a game in which the Jets failed to score a touchdown, but the idea of replacing him with Tyrod Taylor seemed extreme. Two weeks later, the Jets made a move designed to help Rodgers, acquiring his close friend Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders. Johnson pushed for the trade, sources said, and agreed to take more than $11 million in remaining 2024 salary.
Rodgers has yet to comment on Johnson’s suggestion that he be benched.
Johnson, 77, has taken a more hands-on approach since the end of last season on both personnel and contract matters. Just last week, he ordered interim coach Jeff Ulbrich to bench safety Tony Adams, sources said. Johnson has also attended daily meetings – class sessions with coaches and players.
He recently called this Jets roster the best he’s had in 25 years as owner, expressing confidence, even after firing Saleh, that it would break the franchise’s 13-year playoff drought. The Jets are on the brink of mathematical elimination, but there should be plenty of drama, starting with Rodgers.
Rodgers, who turns 41 on Dec. 2, has said he would like to play in 2025, but it probably won’t be with the Jets. One source said he would be “surprised” if Johnson approves of another year for Rodgers, who is mired in one of the worst statistical years of his legendary career.
The future of Davante Adams will also be a key plot point. He’s under contract through 2025, but his cap hit is a prohibitive $38.3 million, meaning he’d have to renegotiate to stay. On Wednesday he said he wants his future to be in New York.
“I hope so,” he told Kay Adams during his weekly spot on the “Up & Adams” podcast. “I see us as a winning organization regardless of what it looks like on the outside.”
