In one fell swoop this weekend, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers filled fans with high hopes and likely made gang green diehards roll their eyes.
There hasn’t been this much excitement around the New York Jets since former head coach Rex Ryan was looking to take the team to the Super Bowl in the follow-up to their surprise run to the AFC Championship game in 2009. The franchise already had a top 10 unit in our NFL defense rankings and added a true NFL icon in Aaron Rodgers this spring.
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However, heading into the Summer there was an understanding among the fanbase that at 39 and having seriously contemplated retirement in the offseason, the window to win it all with the four-time MVP would be extremely short. This means it wouldn’t be long before the organization would again need to find a long-term fit at quarterback after 2021 first-round pick Zach Wilson disappointed in his opportunities during his first two seasons.
Yet, Rodgers has seemed reinvigorated by the change of scenery and continues to give signs he may not be one-and-done in New York. He renegotiated his contract to give the team more cap flexibility last month and suggested it was part of a long-term plan with the organization.
Aaron Rodgers stats (2022): 3,695 passing yards, 26 TD, 12 INT, 91.1 passer rating
Over the weekend he offered up some more comments that made it seem like he will be with the Jets for the long haul. However, the thoughts may also give fans some concern for the future.
During a chat with the CBS pregame show before the Jets’ latest preseason game, the future Hall-of-Famer claimed, “I’d like to play a few good years here and then hand it off to Zach for the next 15.” The first part of that comment is great for New York fans. It will be difficult to win a championship in year one, however, his being there to try in a second, third, or even fourth season gives the franchise a better chance to win its first Super Bowl since 1969.
Unfortunately, New York Jets fans soured on Wilson after a poor showing on and off the field as the leader of the offense in 2022. The idea of the franchise giving him another opportunity to lead the team down the road is not going to excite a fanbase — or even a locker room — that wanted him off the roster after last season.
Nevertheless, it is a problem for at least a year or two from now.