The New York Jets’ quarterback carousel isn’t slowing down, but for now, the team is sticking with Brady Cook under center.
Coming off a tough loss to the New Orleans Saints, where the offense struggled to find any rhythm, head coach Aaron Glenn made it clear: Cook will remain the starter heading into next week. It’s a vote of confidence in a young quarterback who had a rough outing, but whose struggles weren’t entirely his own.
“Brady will be our starting quarterback,” Glenn said after the game. “There are some things in that game that, if you go back and watch the beginning, I think he was doing a really good job.”
Glenn didn’t sugarcoat it-Cook made mistakes. But the head coach was quick to spread the accountability across the board. From protection breakdowns up front to questionable play design, this was a team-wide letdown.
“As the game progressed,” Glenn added, “between Brady making some mistakes, between the protection of the O-line, and between some of the concepts we had for him, all of our hands were involved in some of the mistakes that happened in the game.”
That’s a fair assessment. Cook finished with 188 passing yards, one interception, and was sacked eight times.
Eight. That kind of pressure will rattle even the most seasoned quarterbacks, let alone a young player still trying to get his footing in the league.
It’s hard to evaluate a QB’s decision-making when he’s constantly running for his life.
Cook didn’t dodge responsibility either. After the game, he faced the media and owned the performance.
“Extremely disappointed,” he said. “We came here prepared, ready to win this game, and we didn't do it.
Naturally, you're going to feel disappointment from that. But all you can do now is go back to work.
We've got two games left, and we need to play for each other and fight for each other and find a way to get a win.”
That mindset is exactly what the Jets need right now-accountability, resilience, and a focus on finishing strong. Cook is the third quarterback the Jets have turned to this season, and while the revolving door under center has made consistency tough to come by, it looks like they’re ready to ride with him through the final stretch.
There’s no sugarcoating the fact that this has been a rocky year for New York’s quarterback room. But with two games left, Cook has a real opportunity to show he belongs.
Whether it’s enough to earn him a long-term look is a question for the offseason. For now, it’s about showing growth, competing hard, and giving the Jets something to build on heading into the future.