In a quest to build a winning culture for the 2024 season, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers didn’t mince words, offering straightforward advice to the organization: “Flush the bulls—.”
Reflecting on the team’s 7-10 season, Rodgers stressed the need to eliminate distractions, emphasizing that everything in the organization should contribute to winning.
“If you want to be a winning organization and put yourself in position to win championships and be competitive, everything that you do matters. And the bulls— that has nothing to do with winning needs to get out of the building,” Rodgers asserted during a press conference.
While Rodgers didn’t cite specific examples, it was clear that he aimed to refocus the organization and eliminate anything that hindered their goal of winning.
The Jets have been under the media spotlight since their pursuit of Rodgers began last February, combined with their appearance on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” This extra attention, according to Pro Bowl cornerback Sauce Gardner, led to distractions that affected their performance.
Ironically, Rodgers himself contributed to some of the attention with controversial remarks made during his weekly TV appearances on “The Pat McAfee Show.” Nonetheless, he declined to address a recent controversy involving talk show host Jimmy Kimmel during the press conference, stating that he would discuss it on his show.
Despite a challenging 2023 season that saw Rodgers tear his Achilles on the fourth play, he expressed optimism for the upcoming season. He highlighted the team’s foundational pieces and the importance of the organization’s renewed focus on winning.
However, the pressure will be intense, especially on Rodgers and coach Robert Saleh, who will return despite an 18-33 record. The Jets aim to break their eight-year streak without a winning record and their 13-year playoff drought, the longest active in the NFL.
General manager Joe Douglas acknowledged that it’s time to turn things around and emphasized the organization’s unwavering focus on winning. Rodgers also voiced his determination to prove that offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett’s system can succeed with the Jets.
Star wide receiver Garrett Wilson expressed frustration with the team’s offensive struggles and called for improvements to avoid a repeat of the 2023 season.
In summary, the New York Jets, led by Aaron Rodgers, are determined to rid the organization of distractions and prioritize winning as they look ahead to the 2024 NFL season.