Former MVP blasts Jets over giving Aaron Rodgers 'power'

Current "The NFL Today" analyst and one-time Most Valuable Player Boomer Esiason ripped the organization on Monday morning for seemingly giving signal-caller Aaron Rodgers the authority to make personnel decisions after the Jets acquired Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers this past spring. 

"Now you know why the Packers wanted to get rid of him," Esiason said about Rodgers during Monday's edition of the WFAN "Boomer and Gio" program, per Ryan Chichester of Audacy. "It’s one thing if he’s playing and they have 11 wins. That’s a completely different story. He’s not playing. This is why you get in trouble if you give one player, who has done nothing for you and your organization, any sort of power." 

The Jets hired Nathaniel Hackett as their offensive coordinator last offseason, presumably because Hackett served as Rodgers' OC with the Packers from 2019 through the 2021 campaign. Gang Green went on to sign multiple players who played alongside Rodgers with Green Bay, but the 40-year-old quarterback then went down with a torn Achilles four snaps into his Jets tenure on Sept. 11. 

The 5-9 Jets were officially eliminated from postseason contention after they lost 30-0 at the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. It's unclear if Rodgers will try to start this coming Sunday's home game against the 4-10 Washington Commanders, but it's widely believed he will have the final say regarding whether he's activated by Wednesday's deadline for that decision. 

"If he even remotely thinks now that he should, with the Jets completely out of it, would be self-serving and completely selfish on his part," Esiason said about Rodgers facing a live defense again this season, as shared by Chichester. "Risking injury again and having to go through all of this again."

Whispers suggesting Jets owner Woody Johnson could fire head coach Robert Saleh depending on how the team finishes the season are growing louder ahead of Christmas. On Monday, Esiason challenged Johnson to essentially overrule Rodgers as it pertains to certain calls. 

"I’d like to hear what the owner is saying here," Esiason added. "The owner is the one who is going to make the decision as to who is coming back and how much they’re gonna be listening to a quarterback who has basically done nothing for him."

Plenty may be learned about how much power Rodgers does and/or doesn't have when his status for Christmas Eve is revealed at some point before Wednesday evening. Unless he changes his mind about returning for another season, the future Hall of Famer taking even one meaningful snap before springtime workouts begin seems downright silly for everyone involved.