The Aaron Rodgers we saw in Green Bay the last couple of seasons is not the dude we’ve seen thus far with the New York Jets.
And that’s a great thing for New York.
In Green Bay, Rodgers had become a curmudgeon, complaining publicly in a passive-aggressive way about everything from his receivers to draft strategy to the offense.
He alluded to retirement and pressured the Packers into giving him a three-year, $150 million deal. Well, the Packers traded him to New York in April, creating the opportunity for Jordan Love to start.
Love, remember, was the source of Rodgers’ discontent because the Packers took Love with that 26th pick of the 2020 draft instead of using the selection to upgrade a position that would help the team win.
By the time the Jets traded for him, the Packers and Rodger were sick of each other.
They love him in New York. Of course, it’s early, and the Jets haven’t lost a game yet, but Rodgers has been the perfect teammate this season.
He ingratiated himself to the franchise and the fan base on Wednesday. Still, restructuring his contract – he signed a two-year, $75 million guaranteed contract – and taking a $35 million pay cut that gives the club flexibility to add players will make him popular.
He’s been helping the young quarterbacks, including last year’s starter, Zach Wilson, and his defensive teammates. Cornerback Sauce Gardener recently gave the 39-year-old quarterbacks a gaudy, bejeweled No.8 as a gift.
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“I Love Sauce. It’s not exactly my style,” Rodgers said of the necklace, “but I will be repping it more than once. I have a strict gift policy that I have to wear it at least once.”
The contract indicates Rodgers will be around more than one season, which has been a question since he arrived. The four-time MVP has been considered one of the game’s two best quarterbacks for years – Tom Brady was the other – but that’s no longer the case.
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Kansas City’s Pat Mahomes is considered the league’s best quarterback, with Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow and Buffalo’s Josh Allen just under him.
- Aaron Rodgers stats (2022): 3,695 passing yards, 28-12 TD-INT, 91.1 QB rating, 64.6% completion rate
Rodgers, who turns 40 in December, is a notch below them. Coming off a season with his lowest yardage total since 2010, his lowest touchdown total since 2018, and his highest interception total since 2008, he has all the motivation he needs to have a good season.
Playing until he’s 40 has always been a goal. And he’d like to add another Super Bowl to his resume like Peyton Manning and Brady did when they changed teams at the end of their careers.
“It’s all about the body, how my body feels,” Rodgers said. “The team gave up significant pieces for it to be a one-year deal; I’m aware that.
“Now again, anything can happen with my body or with the success we have this year. But I’m having a blast, so I don’t really see this as a one-year-and-done thing.”
The Jets went 7-10 with spotty quarterback play in 2022. Still, it was the most games the Jets had won since winning 10 games in 2015. They haven’t won the division since 2002 or a playoff game since 2010.
They acquired Rodgers to change that. After all, we’re talking about a franchise that hasn’t had a franchise quarterback since Joe Namath in the 60s.
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“We’re getting a doctorate in quarterback play,” coach Robert Saleh said. “He doesn’t have the juice he had in his 20’s, but his superpower is above the neck.
“His arm strength is unbelievable. He still has zip on the ball. For him, everything is in slow motion.”
Rodgers will be throwing passes to Garret Wilson, who’s significantly better than any receiver he had on the Packers last year, and he’s be reunited with offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who was fired as Denver’s head coach at the end of the season.
“Change can be difficult, for sure, especially when it’s that drastic,18 years in one spot, but if you can lean into it and embrace it, there’s some really beautiful things on the other side, and I’ve been experiencing them so far,” Rodgers said at news conference. “The people have been great, both in Jersey and the city, and I’m having a hell of a time.”
Jean-Jacques Taylor is an NFL Insider for Sportsnaut and the author of the upcoming book “Coach Prime“, with Deion Sanders. Follow him on Twitter.