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5 Shocking Revelations Behind Woody Johnson's Reported Demand To Bench Aaron Rodgers

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The New York Jets organization, a franchise perpetually in the spotlight, was rocked by an explosive report in late 2024 that pulled back the curtain on the chaotic internal dynamics of the team's disastrous season. This report detailed an extraordinary demand from team owner Woody Johnson: to bench star quarterback Aaron Rodgers in favor of backup Tyrod Taylor. The revelation, which surfaced as the Jets spiraled toward a 3-8 record, not only confirmed the deep dysfunction within the organization but also directly implicated the owner in football operations, a move typically reserved for coaching and general manager duties. The subsequent firings of both Head Coach Robert Saleh and General Manager Joe Douglas, coupled with the team's decision to move on from Rodgers for the 2025 season, cemented this episode as one of the most volatile ownership-player conflicts in recent NFL history.

The controversy centers on a meeting that took place after the team's Week 4 loss to the Denver Broncos, where Johnson reportedly suggested the drastic quarterback change. This shocking impulse from the owner, who felt Rodgers was "holding the team back," was ultimately rebuffed by the football operations staff, but the damage to the chain of command and the relationship between the owner and his high-profile quarterback was irreparable. As of late 2025, the fallout continues to define the franchise's direction, leading to a complete organizational reboot and raising serious questions about the future of both Johnson's leadership and Rodgers' next chapter in the NFL. The details of this high-stakes internal struggle offer a rare glimpse into the pressures and power plays at the highest level of professional football.

The Central Figures: Aaron Rodgers and Woody Johnson Biography Profile

The controversy involves two of the most prominent, yet contrasting, figures in the NFL: a generational talent at quarterback and a billionaire owner with a background in business and diplomacy.

Aaron Charles Rodgers: The Quarterback

  • Born: December 2, 1983 (Chico, California)
  • College: University of California, Berkeley (Cal Golden Bears)
  • NFL Draft: 2005 (1st Round, 24th overall by Green Bay Packers)
  • Primary Teams: Green Bay Packers (2005-2022), New York Jets (2023-2024)
  • Career Highlights: 4x NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP), Super Bowl XLV Champion, Super Bowl XLV MVP, 10x Pro Bowler, 4x First-team All-Pro.
  • NFL Status (2025): Following the Jets' decision to move in a new direction, Rodgers is reportedly thriving with a new team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, showcasing his incredible longevity and continued elite performance.

Robert Wood "Woody" Johnson IV: The Owner

  • Born: April 12, 1947 (New Brunswick, New Jersey)
  • Family Background: Heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical fortune.
  • Business & Philanthropy: Chairman of the Johnson Company Inc., a private investment firm. Known for extensive philanthropic work, particularly in lupus research.
  • New York Jets Ownership: Purchased the team in 2000 for $635 million.
  • Diplomatic Career: Served as the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 2017 to 2021 under the Trump administration.
  • Controversy: Known for his hands-on approach, which has frequently drawn criticism for micromanagement and interfering with football operations.

The Anatomy of a Collapse: Why Johnson Wanted Rodgers Benched

The suggestion to bench a four-time MVP like Aaron Rodgers is virtually unprecedented, especially for a non-football executive. The reported demand by Woody Johnson stemmed from a confluence of factors that saw a season of Super Bowl expectations quickly devolve into a catastrophic failure.

The Week 4 Flashpoint: The critical moment came after the New York Jets suffered a loss to the Denver Broncos, dropping their record to 2-2. While this record was not immediately disastrous, the manner of the losses and Rodgers' performance were reportedly concerning to the owner. Johnson believed Rodgers was "holding the team back" due to subpar play and a lack of leadership that was expected from a veteran of his caliber.

The Tyrod Taylor Alternative: Johnson specifically floated the idea of benching Rodgers for backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor. Taylor, a respected veteran, had shown flashes of competency in limited relief appearances during the 2024 season, including a high Total QBR rating in relief duty. The owner's preference for Taylor signaled a desire for stability and perhaps a less complicated presence under center, contrasting with Rodgers' high-profile, high-maintenance persona.

The Internal Veto: The Athletic's report indicated that Johnson made the suggestion during a meeting with his top football personnel, including General Manager Joe Douglas, Head Coach Robert Saleh, and Offensive Coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. This group, reportedly stunned by the demand, successfully convinced Johnson to reverse course. The reasoning was clear: benching a player of Rodgers' pedigree and contract status would create an unprecedented media firestorm and completely destabilize the locker room, making a difficult situation exponentially worse. The staff managed to keep Rodgers as the starter, but the internal conflict had already fractured the organizational trust.

The Fallout: Firings, Friction, and the End of the Rodgers Era

The reported benching demand was not an isolated incident; it was a symptom of the deep-seated organizational issues that ultimately led to a complete overhaul of the Jets' leadership structure at the end of the 2024 season.

The Firing of Saleh and Douglas: The Jets finished the 2024 season with a disappointing 3-8 record, one of the worst starts in the league. The failures led to the firing of Head Coach Robert Saleh and, shortly thereafter, General Manager Joe Douglas. Douglas, who was in the final year of his contract, was replaced by interim General Manager Phil Savage. While the firings were attributed to the team's abysmal performance, the reports of Johnson's interference and the internal conflict over the quarterback situation highlighted the owner's impatience and his ultimate loss of confidence in his football leadership.

Rodgers' Implied Lack of Support: The controversy also brought to light a growing rift between Aaron Rodgers and the ownership. Rodgers himself hinted at a lack of support from the front office, and the reported benching demand confirmed the tension. The relationship between the two figures reportedly fell apart completely, transforming from a highly publicized partnership to a source of internal drama that overshadowed the team's on-field performance.

The 2025 Separation: The most significant consequence of the organizational turmoil was the end of the Aaron Rodgers experiment in New York. The Jets informed the veteran quarterback that he would not be part of the team's plans for the 2025 NFL season. This decision, coming after a season marred by injury and underperformance, marked a dramatic conclusion to a tenure that began with immense Super Bowl hype. The move allowed the Jets to fully reboot under new leadership, while Rodgers, demonstrating his continued desire to play, found a new home where he could continue his career, reportedly thriving in a new environment.

The Legacy of Owner Involvement and Topical Authority

The Woody Johnson-Aaron Rodgers benching report serves as a stark case study in the dynamics of ownership involvement in professional sports. The controversy touches on several key entities and themes critical to topical authority in the NFL landscape:

  • Owner Micromanagement: Johnson's reported suggestion to bench Rodgers is a textbook example of a non-football executive overstepping his bounds, a pattern that has historically plagued the Jets organization.
  • Quarterback Carousel: The attempt to replace Rodgers with Tyrod Taylor, following the earlier benching of Zach Wilson, highlights the Jets' persistent struggle to find stability at the quarterback position.
  • The Cost of Expectations: The Super Bowl-or-bust expectations surrounding the 2024 Jets season, fueled by the acquisition of Rodgers and Offensive Coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, made the collapse all the more dramatic and the subsequent reactions more extreme.
  • Organizational Reboot: The simultaneous firings of Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas, followed by the decision to move on from Rodgers, signal a complete organizational reset, with interim GM Phil Savage tasked with leading the search for a new head coach and general manager to establish a new culture for the 2025 season and beyond.

The dramatic end to the Aaron Rodgers era in New York, precipitated by the owner's reported desire to bench him, has left an indelible mark on the Jets' history. It underscores the fragility of high-stakes partnerships in the NFL and the profound impact that ownership can have on team performance and stability.

woody johnson reportedly wanted to bench aaron rodgers.
woody johnson reportedly wanted to bench aaron rodgers.

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