Former New York Jets quarterback, one-time Most Valuable Player and current NFL analyst Boomer Esiason explained during Tuesday’s edition of the WFAN “Boomer and Gio” program why New York QB1 Aaron Rodgers had “better not” have a say in who serves as his backup during the 2024 season.
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
“The Jets have to do what’s in the best interest of the team, not in the best interest of one specific player,” Esiason said, per Ryan Chichester of Audacy. “…Aaron Rodgers is not a 25-year-old making $50M a year. He’s a 40-year-old coming off (a torn) Achilles. You better have someone back there that you trust. It doesn’t matter whether Aaron Rodgers likes him or not. You gotta get a real guy in here if he has to play three or four games.”
Rodgers’ relationship with Zach Wilson coupled with Jets owner Woody Johnson seemingly wanting to keep the future Hall of Famer happy resulted in Wilson beginning this past campaign as New York’s QB2. Rodgers then suffered his torn Achilles four offensive snaps into the regular-season opener, and Wilson ultimately flopped before he was benched during a blowout loss in Week 11.
It has since been reported that Wilson’s feelings about Rodgers “soured over the season.” Johnson directly acknowledged last week that the Jets “need a backup quarterback,” the latest sign that the club presumably will try to get anything in return for Wilson either before or shortly after this year’s draft.
Meanwhile, Robert Saleh has gone 18-33 as Jets head coach and probably held onto the job this winter because he received Rodgers’ endorsement. Esiason fears that the 40-year-old who played with a broken thumb on his throwing hand during the 2022 campaign and then dealt with a hurting calf last spring won’t be able to give the Jets 17 starts next season.
“I don’t really care what Aaron Rodgers thinks in this particular situation…they need a legitimate backup,” Esiason added. “You have to assume he gets hurt somewhere along the line. Hopefully not seriously. But to make it through 17 games, man, especially coming off an Achilles injury?”
Esiason’s takes make plenty of sense, but history suggests Johnson and/or general manager Joe Douglas will, at the very least, reach out to Rodgers before a new face is added to the club’s quarterback room. For better or for worse, the 2024 Jets likely will either thrive or fail based on Rodgers’ health and play.
