Biggest Takeaways From Aaron Rodgers' New York Jets Introductory Press Conference
Aaron Rodgers. Quarterback for the New York Jets. I can't get over the fact that this actually happened.
Thought for sure the Jets would fumble on the goal line. After six long weeks of anticipation, petty asset leveraging and downright confusion, the drama ended. The trade finally went down on Monday.
…And on Wednesday, Rodgers held court for the first time with the New Jersey New York media.
Let's go boldface and subsectional to dissect some of the highlights from Rodgers' proper debut as a member of the Jets franchise.
This is too good not to share. Is Aaron Rodgers really only reverting to No. 8 because he wore it in college!?!?
Rodgers believes the Jets are absolutely capable of winning a Super Bowl
This bold-ass career move by Rodgers is absolutely electric for the greater New York City area, and the NFL in general. This blockbuster trade for Rodgers gives the Jets their best hope at the most important position in literal decades.
However, that doesn't guarantee Gang Green will be a Super Bowl contender. At least when it comes to football — let's leave his other public opinions out of this, shall we? — Rodgers is one of the smartest guys in the league. He'd seemingly know if he was getting into a shitty situation, or one where a championship wasn't a realistic expectation. Not sure Rodgers is someone who agonizes over his legacy at this point, yet a second Super Bowl would do wonders for where he stands among the NFL's all-time greats.
So the fact that Rodgers has so much conviction about how great the Jets can be should have the fan base ecstatic. He's entering an AFC East division with an ascending Dolphins team, the Josh Allen-led Bills and oh yeah, Bill Belichick and the Patriots are still around. Not to mention, the rest of the AFC is STACKED. Most of the best QBs in football are in the conference. It's even more hotly competitive with Rodgers entering the mix.
Rodgers is sold on the coaching staff and praised the Jets' team-building approach
We all know Nathaniel Hackett is Rodgers' guy. The flamed-out head coach of the Broncos spent three seasons as Green Bay's offensive coordinator. In the latter two of those seasons, Rodgers won league MVP honors. The 39-year-old signal-caller said during his presser that Hackett is "like a brother" to him. Despite how awfully Hackett's brief tenure in Denver went, Rodgers' ringing endorsement is what got him to the Jets in the first place.
But even more interesting was what Rodgers said about the other side of the ball and how New York has built an excellent defense. What stood out here is how much respect Rodgers had for GM Joe Douglas' recent drafts (Zach Wilson excluded) and for Gang Green head coach Robert Saleh.
Rodgers remarked how the Jets kicked the Packers' asses at Lambeau Field last year. That was in spite of awful quarterback play from Wilson, though that wasn't mentioned at all. The new Jets QB also alluded to how challenging it was to play against the 49ers when Saleh was San Francisco's defensive coordinator.
Things didn't end super smoothly with the Packers
Not a massive surprise. The Packers and Rodgers actually did a fine job burying the hatchet once the decision was made in 2020 to trade up for Jordan Love in the first round of the NFL Draft. That lit a fire under Rodgers, who'd been regressing somewhat to that point, and he won two MVPs. Put the Cheeseheads in position for a second Super Bowl. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be.
On the heels of a non-MVP campaign where Green Bay failed to reach the playoffs, sure, I could see how relations got a little frosty on both sides. Rodgers has a one-of-one personality and doesn't take kindly to even the mildest of perceived slights.
When it comes to the Jets, it's the perfect match. They're desperate for a superstar under center. Gave up plenty of compensation to underscore how much they value Rodgers. Even if it's a one-year commitment in the end, it will have been worth the big swing. Plus, I have a feeling Rodgers will play in 2024 unless the Jets do, in fact, lift the Lombardi Trophy.
Rodgers seems refreshed and eager to deliver on a team who's going all-in
Big market. Big city. Big brass balls move by Joe Douglas to go acquire Rodgers. Major risk going to such a historically incompetent franchise. The implications of Rodgers to the Jets are massive from every single angle you could think of.
The overall sense I got from Rodgers is that he feels a lot more settled and is embracing his new team and new home with open arms. All the "will he or won't he" retirement drama, the annual "will Green Bay move off him?" speculation and, frankly, the conservative approach the small-market, ownerless Packers took during his tenure is all old news. Now, Rodgers is entering a thrilling new phase of his career.
Again, I can't imagine this is only a one-year thing unless Rodgers pulls a Tom Brady/Matthew Stafford and wins a 'Bowl in his first season in New York. This is one of the most exciting transactions in the history of the NFL. That's not hyperbolic. It's fact. The league will be better if the Jets live up to the hype. Can't wait to see how it all shakes out.
BONUS: Rodgers' before and after presser moments might've been the best
The presser in and of itself was pretty standard and basic. It was more about "how the fuck is this actually happening?" than anything else. Nothing super juicy other than Super Bowl talk and the Green Bay/FaceTime bit.
…But damn. Get a load of this entrance to Jets HQ and the DAP that Rodgers connected on with Saleh:
ALL GAS NO BRAKE, BABY. Terrible life philosophy, by the way. Makes no sense. You'll drive that car off a cliff or directly into a barrier at some point. But in football-related terms, I can dig it.
Then THIS:
Oh man. Rodgers went there with the infamous Zach Wilson comment. To be fair to Zach, I doubt he could've fathomed that the Jets would trade for one of the best QBs to ever do it when he uttered those words. Probably thought Jimmy Garoppolo or some other wily vet was coming to town.
Nevertheless, so funny. I see you, ARodg. Nice joke sir.
And with that, let's give it up for all of Barstool Chicago, Bears fandom, and the rest of the NFC North division for being liberated from Aaron Rodgers' long shadow. Now we'll see if he can put the final nail in the coffin of the Patriots' dynasty, halt the Bills' dynasty before it even actually begins, and outfox Mike McDaniel and the Dolphins to get that elusive second Super Bowl for himself and for the maligned Jets organization.
I know the draft is tomorrow and I'm so hyped, but shit. Is it football season yet???
Twitter @MattFitz_gerald/TikTok