Jets HC Says Aaron Rodgers Won’t Be Benched ‘as of Today’ After Loss to Seahawks

Andrew Peters

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After another loss and another mediocre performance from Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich announced Monday that there won’t be a change coming under center.

Ian Rapoport @RapSheet#Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich told reporters today that QB Aaron Rodgers will continue to start for the team, giving them the best chance to win.

“He’s our quarterback.”

Ulbrich previously said on Sunday that he would not consider a quarterback change “as of today,” per ESPN’s Rich Cimini. When asked about Rodgers’ performance, Ulbrich said on Sunday that he “needs to watch the film” before giving his evaluation.

Rodgers had 185 passing yards, two touchdowns and an interception in Sunday’s 26-21 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. It marked his third consecutive performance with less than 200 passing yards and the Jets have now lost eight of their last nine games, securing a losing season for the ninth straight year.

After New York’s 2-2 start to the year, owner Woody Johnson reportedly suggested the team bench Rodgers and felt his “performance was holding the team back,” per The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt and Dianna Russini. The Jets have made a handful of changes since then, including firing head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas, but have kept their confidence in Rodgers as the starter.

Rodgers has 2,627 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions this year as the Jets have gone 3-9.

Should New York opt for a change at quarterback, it has veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor on the bench. The 35-year-old Taylor appeared briefly in the Jets’ Week 1 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, completing six of his eight passes for 36 yards and a touchdown.

Though Rodgers might not get benched this season, his time in New York could come to an end once the year is over. SNY’s Connor Hughes reported earlier in November that “the team prefers to move on from Rodgers.”

Rodgers’ exit would mark the end of a failed rebuild and essentially put the Jets back at square one in terms of turning the franchise around.