In Week 8 against the New England Patriots, Greg Zuerlein missed a 44-yard field goal and an extra point. The Jets ended up losing 25-22 to the Patriots.
The Jet Press voiced frustration on social media, saying Zuerlein is “completely cooked” and “safe to say he’s a goner.”
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic stated, “It’s time to move on.”
ESPN radio host Jake Asman added his thoughts, saying, “Greg Zuerlein should not be on this team anymore. Disgrace he even kicked to start this game today. He’s shot.”
This Isn’t the First Time Zuerlein Has Struggled This Season
On the season, Zuerlein is 9-of-15 on his field goal attempts. With six missed field goals, he leads the NFL in misses through the first eight weeks. His 60% success rate on field goals is the lowest for a kicker with 15 or more attempts in the past 10 seasons, according to The 33rd Team.
Following the game, Aaron Rodgers acknowledged that if the team had capitalized on other opportunities earlier, they wouldn’t have needed to rely on Zuerlein. Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich also stated that he didn’t regret sticking with Zuerlein despite his struggles this season.
These statements may aim to deflect blame from one player, but Zuerlein’s struggles have played a major role in shaping the Jets’ season.
Currently, the Jets sit at 2-6 and would hold the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft if the season ended today, per Tankathon.
Yet, it’s not hard to imagine a different season for the Jets with reliable kicking.
Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post suggested that “if Greg Zuerlein does his job,” the Jets could have beaten the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, and Patriots in Week 8.
That scenario would have the Jets at 5-3, well within the AFC East divisional race and in playoff contention. Instead, they find themselves at 2-6, in last place in the division.
ESPN’s Seth Walder reported that Zuerlein has made “-4.3 field goals over expectation,” the worst in the NFL according to Next Gen Stats.
A Change Is Needed, but Likely Too Little Too Late
The Jets must make a change, as Zuerlein is statistically the league’s worst kicker.
However, with a 2-6 record, switching kickers might feel as futile as rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.
Looking closer at Zuerlein’s impact, his missed field goal and extra point against the Patriots cost the Jets even more.
One social media user explained it this way:
“Greg Zuerlein lost the Jets ELEVEN POINTS today.
Missed field goal: -3
Missed extra point: -1
Punted from the 40 twice due to lack of trust: -6
Forced to go for 2 because of missed XP and didn’t get it: -1
With a reliable kicker, the Jets could have scored 33 points.”
