Getty New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers throwing a pass during an NFL game.
The New York Jets will not make a quarterback change ahead of the Week 14 Miami Dolphins contest.
Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich announced during his media availability on Monday, December 2 that they will stick with Aaron Rodgers as the starting quarterback.
Ulbrich Explains Decision to Stick by Rodgers as Jets QB1
After the 26-21 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Ulbrich didn’t rule out a potential quarterback change.
However, a day later, Ulbrich said “he’s our quarterback” according to Connor Hughes of SNY when asked if this quarterback discussion would become a week-to-week item.
Barring injury, Rodgers will be the starting quarterback for the rest of the season according to the head coach.
Rodgers struggled against the Seahawks completing only 54% of his passes and averaged a measly 4.7 passing yards per attempt. He has had three straight games with fewer than 200 yards passing.
When asked about Rodgers’ struggles statistically, Ulbrich pointed at his quarterback’s injuries as a factor, per Hughes.
“We have great belief in Aaron, we really do. We think he gives us the best opportunity to win. After assessing yesterday’s game, I thought there were moments in the first half where you saw Aaron Rodgers. I thought there were moments even in the second half that you saw Aaron Rodgers. And then there were moments that he didn’t play to his standard and he’d tell you the same. We believe that he gives us the best opportunity to win. So he is our quarterback,” Ulbrich said.
Rodgers turned 41 on Monday, December 2. Ulbrich was asked if he believes Rodgers still has it anymore because his recent play would suggest he doesn’t, a media member argued.
“I’ve seen enough evidence on tape of him still being capable of playing high level football for us,” Ulbrich responded.
Jets Keep Shooting Themselves in the Foot
The green and white finished the game with 12 penalties for 83 yards.
“The pre-snap stuff, totally unacceptable. We had the offsides, which was real. Obviously the 12-men [penalty] was unacceptable. I’ll take part of the credit for that for sure. The horsecollar penalty to me was an aggressive penalty. Sometimes in a scrum like that, things like that happen. The fact that he didn’t get tackled by the horse collar itself and the minute he identified that he had that part of his jersey he let it go,” Ulbrich explained. “The DPI [defensive pass interference] by Stiggs [Qwan’tez Stiggers], we gotta keep our hands down and stay cleaner in those moments.”
After the game, Jets cornerback D.J. Reed went after the refs on social media.
“@NFLOfficiating you FXCKING suck, yall should be ashamed of yall selves.!,” Reed posted on X previously Twitter.
Ulbrich revealed that he is going to have a “conversation” with Reed about his social media activity “and that’ll be between the two of us.”
Ulbrich said he loves his passion and that’s what makes this defense so special, but they will have a “private conversation” regarding that matter.
The officiating wasn’t ideal, but the Jets have no excuses they have no one to blame but themselves.
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