Dec 10, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) on the field after the game against the Houston Texans at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Jets’ 2024 season has already gone up in smoke. Team owner Woody Johnson may have noticed the initial sparks flickering weeks in advance.

The Jets on Tuesday informed Joe Douglas that he was being fired as the team’s general manager. The news came just days after the Jets’ brutal Week 11 defeat against the Indianapolis Colts.

The loss dropped the Jets’ record to 3-8 in Aaron Rodgers’ first healthy season at quarterback. With both former head coach Robert Saleh and now Douglas gone, speculation has swirled regarding Rodgers’ future with the team.

Several media members expect that the Jets will not bring Rodgers back next season. If it were completely up to Johnson, Rodgers reportedly would not have been starting for the team much earlier. According to The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt and Dianna Russini, Johnson led a “contentious meeting” on Sept. 30 following the Jets’ ugly 10-9 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 4.

Johnson reportedly suggested to his coaching staff and front office that Rodgers be benched in favor of Tyrod Taylor. Johnson felt that Rodgers was “holding the team back” during what was then a 2-2 start to the season.

Douglas and the rest were said to be “stunned” by Johnson’s request and had to talk the Jets owner out of the idea. Douglas explained to Johnson that the move would not sit well with the locker room as it would effectively “embarrass” Rodgers, per the report.

The Jets have gone 1-6 since the so-called “contentious meeting.” It’s hard to imagine things could have gone any worse had Johnson gotten his way weeks earlier. Instead, Douglas and Saleh are both gone, with Rodgers likely to follow.