Jets coach defends team over regrettable Joe Flacco decision

Nov 3, 2019; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Joe Flacco (5) in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Jets have essentially blown their season by failing to come up with a backup plan for Aaron Rodgers at the quarterback position. One particularly regrettable decision, however, is not something that coach Robert Saleh is dwelling on.

On Tuesday, Saleh discussed whether he regretted not bringing back Joe Flacco after Rodgers suffered his season-ending Achilles injury in Week 1. The coach said he simply had not given any thought to it, even with Flacco thriving in Cleveland.

“It’s just the decision we made in terms of the quarterback room and the way we developed it over the course of OTAs and training camp. It was just a decision we made,” Saleh said, via Al Iannazzone of Newsday.

“The biggest thing is to reflect upon those decisions and see what we could have done better as a coaching staff, as an organization,” Saleh added. “Every decision we make, I feel like it comes with deep thought and logic, but there’s no regret.”

Flacco spent three seasons with the Jets, from 2020 through 2022. In spite of that, the Jets made no effort to reach out after Rodgers fell to injury. Instead they chose to bring in Trevor Siemian, who is familiar with the team’s offensive system, while giving Zach Wilson the starting job. None of those moves worked out well for the Jets, who are 6-9 largely because of their sputtering offense.

It is fair to ask whether Flacco would be as successful with the Jets as he has been with the Browns, given the team’s offensive line issues. Still, Saleh knows better than most what Flacco is capable of. The decision to not even give him a call looks like a mistake.