Aaron Rodgers Continues To Shirk Responsibility For His Role In The Jets' Dysfunction

If you want an example of a leader who takes criticism in a professional way, don’t look to Aaron Rodgers.

The New York Jets have been eliminated from the playoffs after a devastating overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins, which officially makes them the biggest disappointment of the NFL season. Despite a roster loaded with talent (and many of Rodgers’ hand picked favorite receivers), the Jets are wallowing in misery and still looking for a way to end their now 14-year playoff drought.

Dec 8, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) looks on after the game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Rodgers was asked about the team’s drought in a press conference today by Newsday’s Tom Rock, but the quarterback didn’t seem too interested in the question. In fact, he seemed like the franchise’s plight wasn’t that big of a concern to him.

"I mean, I’ve been here, I’ve started one year, so, I’m a part of it for one year," Rodgers said. "It’s disappointing." 

While it is true that Rodgers can only claim responsibility for one year of Jets failure, the fact that he blew off Rock’s question like it didn’t concern him was - for a lack of a better word - concerning. 

Read: Aaron Rodgers Is Arrogant Enough To Claim The Media Is The Biggest Reason For The Jets' Woes

Yes, the Jets had one bad year with him at the helm. But at the same time, Rodgers said this past year that he wanted to win two titles with the Jets. The juxtaposition of his willingness to make promises on titles and his failure to maturely take responsibility for his part failing in that area is really stark.

This isn’t the first time this season that Rodgers has shirked criticism from the media. After losing 26-21 to the Seahawks on Dec. 1, Rodgers threw his teammates under the bus when asked about the Jets’ offensive struggles.

"There’s 11 guys on the field. Sometimes it’s my fault," Rodgers admitted. "Definitely, multiple times today. And then sometimes, the details aren’t there in other spots too."

This isn’t the type of leadership qualities most teams would want from a quarterback. It’s just another layer of dysfunction in a highly dysfunctional franchise.