Aaron Rodgers And Robert Saleh Seemingly Confirm That The Legendary QB Will Play Multiple Years For The Jets
You love to hear it. When the New Jersey New York NFL franchises are good, the league is better for it. The final act of Aaron Rodgers' Hall of Fame career with the Jets is all but assuredly extending beyond the 2023 season. Regardless of how you feel about Gang Green or Rodgers himself, you can't deny that the moribund organization with the longest active playoff drought is far more interesting with Rodgers leading the charge.
I like Rodgers' perspective here. For a guy who went into a darkness retreat this offseason 90% convinced he'd retire, it's quite an about-face. But I believe him. The logic makes sense. It would blow and be such a bummer to only get one season of Rodgers in a Jets jersey given what GM Joe Douglas gave up for him. Plus, there's really no contingency plan outside of apparent bust No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson.
Sounds like it's more about being physically right than anything else for Rodgers, who credits some tweaks to his training and diet this offseason to how good his body feels. He mentions avoiding processed foods and fruit in particular. I happen to think fruit is good for you. Hey, what do I know? A-Rodg does his own research and as long as he's keeping his body right, no complaints over here. Keep slingin' that thing, good sir.
For someone like Rodgers who enjoys playing with a chip, nay, boulder on his shoulder, I'm loving the fact that he was ranked as only the eighth-best QB on the latest edition of Madden:
Being below the likes of Dak Prescott and barely above Kirk Cousins might leave Rodgers feeling a type of way.
The AFC is as stacked as I can ever remember either conference being. Throwing Rodgers' Jets into the mix only adds to the excitement. You have to think Robert Saleh is relieved as hell to hear Rodgers confirm that he's sticking around. Well, pretty much unless he wins a Super Bowl. Saleh is a defensive guru and knows he can only go as far as his quarterback play can carry the team. No question the 2022 squad would've made the postseason with even a competent passing attack.
Aspiring to the Lombardi Trophy isn't out of the question for this year's Jets — strange as that is to say. Rodgers has something to prove after a somewhat underwhelming swan song in Green Bay on the back of two straight MVP seasons. New York's defense is locked and loaded. On Barstool Sportsbook, the Jets (+1000) are the No. 4 favorites to win the AFC behind only the Chiefs (+350), Bills (+450) — what the fuck, why? — and the Bengals (+500).
I'd honestly go more like Chiefs +350, Bengals +400, Jets +550 and Bills +700. That's just me. To get more precisely back on topic, I'll play you out with one more soundbite of Rodgers alluding to the Jets' multi-year championship window as he perceives it.
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Oh yeah and I ranked the Jets' roster as the sixth-best in the NFL heading into 2023. Check out how I stacked up all 32 teams below.
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