“I hung them up for the right reasons!” Ex-Chiefs backup QB Chad Henne DECLINED Jets’ offer to sign him amid Aaron Rodgers’ absence
Henne is currently busy being the assistant coach of his former high school football team the Wilson Bulldogs.
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The New York Jets tried to sign Chad Henne (Image via IMAGO)
The New York Jets‘ search for a replacement for injured Aaron Rodgers led them to the doorsteps of Chad Henne. However, the retired quarterback, who won two Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs, has no intention of coming back.
Drafted in 2008, Henne spent most of his career playing for the Miami Dolphins and the Jacksonville Jaguars. In 2018, the Chiefs signed him as the backup to Patrick Mahomes. It was a solid acquisition considering he has a couple of 3000-yard seasons under his belt.
Henne would find it hard to displace Mahomes, who rarely keep any loose ends. But when Andy Reid did call upon the veteran, he would prove his worth. Especially in the 2022 post-season, when the Chiefs faced off against the Jaguars in the divisional round. Mahomes went out early in the game because of an ankle sprain. Henne would come on and lead a 98-yard drive to tip the balance in their favor. They went on to lift the Lombardi Trophy.
Perhaps this is one of the reasons the Jets pursued Henne in the first place. He is a year younger than Aaron Rodgers and has title-winning experience. On top of that, he should be well acquainted with head coach Robert Saleh. He was the linebacker coach for the Jaguars during Henne’s time with Jacksonville. However, that connection did little good when the 38-year-old chose against joining the New York franchise.
“I hung them up for the right reasons,” Henne told the Reading Eagle in a recent interview. “I didn’t want to go back and put my body into it.”
But it did not disclose what role Henne would play if he signed with the Jets. Would he have started ahead of QB 1 Zach Wilson or just his backup?
Zach Wilson remains the first choice for the New York Jets, amidst Chad Henne rumors
The Big Apple was electric when Aaron Rodgers came onto the field against the Buffalo Bills on opening night. After months of waiting, New York would finally witness the four-time NFL MVP play for the Ganges. Unfortunately, the celebration turned to disappointment when Rodgers was carted off in the first quarter.
In came Zach Wilson, who did relatively well. The 24-year-old completed 14 of 21 passes for 140 yards and threw one touchdown. But in the second game, a sense of Déjà vu returned to MetLife Stadium. Wilson’s performance dipped massively, with 12 completed passes from 27 and three crucial interceptions. It was reminiscent of the past two seasons, in which the former BYU quarterback had an 8-14 record.
But Wilson has the backing of Coach Saleh and his teammates. That’s probably the reason he wants to believe in himself amidst the revelation of the Jets reaching out to Chad Henne.
“I’m the guy right now,” he said. “[When] my number’s called, and so I’m gonna go out there and do everything I can for this offense.”
Well, his confidence will be put to the test when they face the New England Patriots on September 24. A matchup that Wilson won’t have fond memories of. Last season, he only had a 9-of-22, 77-yard performance in a 10-3 loss in Week 11 that got him benched.
In case you missed it:
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- Jerry Jones breaks silence on Deion Sanders’ coaching abilities as theories of ‘Coach Prime’ joining Cowboys in future catch fire
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Ishan Misra
(3155 Articles Published)