Jets fumbled golden opportunity to land perfect head coach for Aaron Rodgers

The Aaron Rodgers era couldn't have gone much worse for the New York Jets. After losing a season to a torn Achilles, Rodgers has helped the Jets win three games. Three. The Green Bay Packers never won fewer than six games with Rodgers.

Rodgers' Jets future remains uncertain, although it seems increasingly likely that the team will move on from the four-time MVP.

He has previously said he wants to keep playing in 2025, and many Packers fans are worried he will go full Brett Favre and sign with the Minnesota Vikings.

It didn't have to be that way, though. New York has a roster far too talented to win three of its opening 13 games. It comes down to coaching and ownership. Firing Robert Saleh early in the season didn't work out, nor did sticking with Nathaniel Hackett.

However, the Jets may have fumbled one final opportunity to make a Super Bowl run with Rodgers.

Bill Belichick reportedly had interest in Jets' head coach job before joining UNC

During Rodgers' prime, many wondered if, with Bill Belichick as his coach, he would win as many Super Bowls as Tom Brady.

The dream partnership we assumed would never happen became a realistic possibility. According to The Athletic's Dianna Russini, Belichick expressed interest in taking the Jets' head coach job. He has since joined UNC, ruling out a shocking Jets reunion.

It's understandable if New York wants to clean house and start over, but Belichick could've given the team one final opportunity to win with Rodgers. The Jets still have a talented defense featuring multiple former All-Pros, like Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams. He would've undoubtedly helped that unit rediscover its potential.

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Rodgers has taken much of the blame for the Jets' failures, but he is far from the biggest problem. The future Hall of Famer has thrown for 2,966 yards, 20 touchdowns, and eight interceptions despite playing in an offensive system that needs a complete revamp. Keeping Hackett in the building was a major mistake, and by the time they removed his play-calling duties, it was far too late.

Belichick is a winner and a leader. He could've provided an immediate culture shift, and his arrival would've given Rodgers all the motivation he needs to play another season. The two have huge respect for each other.

Under Belichick's leadership, the Jets would've had a chance to post a top-10 defense, maybe even better. Between 2012 and 2023, Belichick's Patriots ranked inside the top 10 for scoring defense 10 times in 12 years, only falling below that twice (2022 - 11th, 2023 - 15th). Their average position was seventh.

Give Rodgers a top defense and a better offensive coordinator? That could've worked.

Instead, Belichick heads to North Carolina, and the Jets likely move into an uncertain future without Rodgers while searching for a new head coach and general manager.

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