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The New York Jets have fired general Joe Douglas after five-plus years at the helm, per ESPNs Adam Schefter.
New York went 30-64 during his tenure. No year has been more disappointing than the current one, as the 3-8 Jets have floundered despite having four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers at quarterback.
Expectations were high when the Jets landed him from the Green Bay Packers via trade in April 2023, and they remained so going into 2024 even after Rodgers missed nearly all of last season with a torn Achilles.
This year has been an abject failure.
The Jets fired head coach Robert Saleh after a 2-3 start, but New York is just 1-5 under interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich.
New York also landed six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Davante Adams (Rodgers ex-Packers teammate) via trade from the Las Vegas Raiders, but the Jets are just 1-4 ever since.
So now the complete rebuild is underway with Douglas no longer in town. Analysts and fans reacted to the news.
The Jets still have a mathematical chance to make the playoffs, but for all intents and purposes, theyre riding out the string of a lost season at this point. That would mark 14 straight seasons outside the playoffs after New York made back-to-back AFC Championship Games in 2009 and 2010.
Fingers were pointed at Saleh, and now hes gone. The same went for Douglas, and now hes gone.
Rodgers remains, and its clear that experiment failed, even after the team brought in numerous players (and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett) for a future centered around him.
But at this point, it seems like Rodgers has one more year at most. Hes under contract for one more year, has a no-trade clause and cutting him would create $49 million in dead cap money, per Over the Cap. So its very possible Rodgers is around for 2025, although New Yorks next general manager needs to find the signal-caller of the future.
Ultimately, the Jets in the 21st century have largely struggled under owner Woody Johnson, who bought the team in 2000. Their record has been 171-227 with just six playoff appearances and only one division title in that span. The next GM will go into a very difficult situation, one with an inherited quarterback, no coach and a talented roster that has fallen well short of expectations.