Unnamed Jets player makes big request for QB Aaron Rodgers

At least one unnamed member of the New York Jets believes that injured quarterback Aaron Rodgers should focus on the long-term future after Gang Green fell to 4-8 with Sunday's 13-8 home loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

"Get as healthy as possible before you step out there," the Jet told Steve Serby of the New York Post while speaking about Rodgers. "Especially his position, you gotta be mobile, you gotta be able to move around the pocket. I wouldn’t want something to happen to him just as a teammate and as a person." 

Rodgers continues to make a remarkable recovery from the torn Achilles he suffered on Sept. 11 and suggested last week he could try to play as soon as New York's game at the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 17. That was before head coach Robert Saleh benched temporary starting signal-caller Tim Boyle in favor of journeyman Trevor Siemian against Atlanta, a move that did little to spark the club's woeful offense.  

According to ESPN stats, the Jets began Monday ranked 30th in the NFL with an average of 14.3 points per game and 31st with an average of 260.1 yards per contest. As of Monday, the ESPN Football Power Index gave the Jets no chance of qualifying for the playoffs.

Last week, Jets legend Joe Namath publicly campaigned for team chairman Woody Johnson and vice chairman Christopher Johnson to shut Rodgers down so the future Hall of Famer is good to go next September after the 40-year-old accepted a massive pay cut this past summer to play for the franchise through at least the 2024 season. Early Monday morning, NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported that "no one I ever spoke with in the Jets' building was counting on Rodgers coming back" this season. 

The Rodgers-less Jets host the 7-5 Houston Texans Sunday. On Monday afternoon, oddschecker listed New York as a 4.5-point underdog against Houston.