Frustrated Jets star hints at big mistake team made 2 years ago: ‘Might’ve took it for granted’

It seemed like a bad idea at the time, a little less than two years ago, when the Jets fired offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur two years into his tenure as the play caller for then coach Robert Saleh.

It’s impossible to know how things would have played out had the Jets decided to keep LaFleur around.

Of course, they ended up hiring Nathaniel Hackett as their offensive coordinator, and the failed head coach in Denver and former Packers offensive coordinator ended up helping draw his close friend Aaron Rodgers to Florham Park.

Would Rodgers have come to New Jersey to play in an offense run by the younger brother of the coach he no longer wanted to play for? It’s impossible to say. But as LaFleur, now the Rams offensive coordinator, helped L.A. to a 19-9 win Sunday in his first game against his former team, the Jets’ decision from January of 2023 doesn’t look any better.

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Simply put: it’s hard to imagine a world in which they’d be worse off right now with LaFleur than they’ve been since parting ways with him, even if that meant Rodgers never put on a Jets uniform.

And don’t take our word for it. Here’s what wide receiver Garrett Wilson had to say early Sunday evening, when he was asked if he got to catch up with LaFleur after the game.

“You know what? I didn’t,” Wilson said. “I was looking for him. I got to talk with him a little bit before the game. Love him man, and obviously my rookie year, looking back on it man, it was a special time and I might’ve took it for granted.

“But I love him, man. And to see how he’s helping out that offense. And watching them today come in with their plan to run the ball and the way they executed it? I’m happy for him, man and I just hope it continues … because I really do appreciate him and I’m sure he’ll get on the phone this week.”

LaFleur certainly wasn’t perfect. He was tasked with getting the most out of 2021 No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson, and he never guided the quarterback to a point where he could see the field confidently and consistently make solid decisions.

It either felt like Wilson was out of control or far too reigned in. There was no in between.

But things looked even worse for Wilson in 2023 without LaFleur, as Hackett needed more than 10 weeks to even start tailoring the offense around the struggling backup quarterback after Rodgers was lost for the season.

And there were other signs that Wilson, not LaFleur, was the problem with the Jets’ offense during his time here. Despite a shoddy offensive line and few proven weapons to speak of, the Jets averaged 435 yards of offense over a four-game stretch in 2021 when Wilson was out with an injury.

When Mike White replaced Wilson as the starter late in 2022, the Jets averaged 476 yards of offense in the two games before he was hurt against the Bills, forcing the Jets to go back to Wilson amid a six-game losing streak to end the season.

Even with all the struggles in 2022, which included Wilson completing just 54.8% of his passes for 1,688 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions, LaFleur still found a way to get Garrett Wilson over 1,000 yards receiving.

Wilson was fed up with the state of the offense after his rookie season. And that hasn’t changed, with him continuing to express frustration over the past two years, the ehe hasn’t been able to contribute the way he wants to.

For much of this season that frustration has been a bit misguided, because Wilson is getting plenty of chances: through 15 games he’s fourth in the NFL with 141 targets.

But he had good reason to be annoyed Sunday when he was targeted only three times before the Jets’ final drive of the game.

“I don’t know [why], to be honest with you, man,” Wilson said. “I’ve got to go out and put my best foot forward and hope that things fall my way. I would love to be involved, love to make an impact on the game. But [if] people see it differently, then that’s out of my control. Just trying to do what I can do.”