NFL coach, executive rip Jets' offseason decisions after 0-6 start to season

The New York Jets replacing starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers with Justin Fields was the biggest offseason decision made by first-year Jets head coach Aaron Glenn and first-year general manager Darren Mougey. 

While Fields passed for just 45 yards and took nine sacks in New York's 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos that dropped the Jets to 0-6 on Sunday, Rodgers passed for 235 yards and two touchdowns as he guided the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 23-9 win over the Cleveland Browns that improved Pittsburgh to 4-1 later in the afternoon. 

For a piece published on Monday, one unnamed coach from another team spoke with Mike Sando of The Athletic about the two AFC clubs that seem to he headed in different directions this fall. 

Coach rips Jets over Aaron Rodgers, Justin Fields call

"Did you see the Rodgers TD on Sunday? Out of the pocket, on the run, directing receivers in the scramble drill, slicing his 500th-and-whatever touchdown pass, while the supposed-to-be mobile Justin Fields can't get away from Denver's rush," that coach said. "Nine sacks with minus-10 (net) yards passing!"

ESPN stats show that Fields began Monday ranked 29th in the NFL among qualified passers with a 36.4 adjusted QBR on the season. Meanwhile, Rodgers was 22nd at that time with a 49.2 adjusted QBR. The Jets ended the weekend ranked 25th in the league with an average of 20.5 points scored per contest, while the Steelers were 14th with an average of 23.8 points scored per game. 

Did Jets make mistake paying Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner?

Months after the new-look Jets regime unceremoniously showed Rodgers the door, Gang Green signed wide receiver Garrett Wilson and cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner to lucrative contract extensions. Wilson received a four-year, $130M deal, while Gardner agreed to a four-year, $120.4M extension. 

Neither player has been part of a winning NFL season since being drafted in 2022.

"They haven't won s--- with these guys, and they have already given them top-of-market deals early," one executive from another team said about the Jets locking Wilson and Gardner down before the ongoing season got underway. "I get it if you get a good deal, but why are bad teams giving good players top-of-the-market deals? That is a recipe for disaster."

"Disaster" may be a word used to describe the Jets if they lose their Oct. 19 home game against the Carolina Panthers (3-3). As of Monday morning, ESPN BET had the Panthers as 1.5-point favorites for that matchup.