Aaron Rodgers hoped to offer the Vince Lombardi Trophy the Jets received after successful Super Bowl III some firm when he joined the group two years in the past. Rodgers as an alternative endured two difficult seasons with the Jets that led to an unceremonious trend.
Rodgers, who signed with the Steelers this offseason after he was launched by the Jets, was just lately requested what message he would give to New York’s fan base. Rodgers and the Steelers will journey to New York to face the Jets in Week 1 of the 2025 common season.
“I actually embraced my time there and put as a lot as myself into it as I presumably may,” Rodgers mentioned on Adam Schein’s radio show. “I actually needed to win there. I actually did. I’ve numerous appreciation for the particular moments. There weren’t a ton of them, however you realize, one of many coolest moments, sadly, 4 performs later, was all taken away. However working down that discipline. It was a particular night time, and though it ended very shortly thereafter, that’ll all the time be type of a particular snapshot.
“I want it had gone otherwise up there, for certain. However, you realize, I put all I had into it. I imply, tore my Achilles and battled my ass to come back again to apply to encourage the blokes and hoped to come back again. You realize, I put so much into it, and I am sorry it did not work out, however I am grateful for the couple particular moments that have been had.”
As Rodgers alluded to, his first common season as a Jet started with him working out onto the sector carrying an American flag in Week 1 on what was the 22nd anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist assaults. The sellout crowd, which was already buzzing with anticipation, reached a frenzied pitch when Rodgers ran out onto the sector.
All the pieces modified, nonetheless, on the Jets’ fourth offensive play, when Rodgers suffered what turned out to be a season-ending harm after getting sacked by Payments move rusher Leonard Floyd. Rodgers amazingly was in a position to return to apply by late November, however with the Jets’ playoff hopes all however diminished, the choice was made to take a seat out for the rest of the season whereas shifting the main target towards 2024.
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Rodgers performed in every of New York’s 17 video games in 2024 (a fairly vital achievement in itself), but it surely was a highly-disappointing season for the Jets, who slugged by way of a 5-12 season that included the in-season firings of coach Robert Saleh and basic supervisor Joe Douglas. From a person standpoint, Rodgers performed effectively however not at his typical MVP stage. He threw for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns, however he additionally threw 11 interceptions (which is tied for the third-most in a single season for his profession) whereas finishing 63% of his passes, his lowest whole since 2019.
Whereas he takes inventory in the truth that he performed in each recreation final yr, Rodgers is not taking a lot else from his lone full season because the Jets’ beginning quarterback. He mentioned that particular person statistics will not outline his first season as Pittsburgh’s QB1.
“How I performed final yr, how I performed in 2021, how I performed in 2011 do not actually imply something,” Rodgers mentioned. “All that issues is the way you play the yr you are in. ‘What have you ever achieved for me these days,’ is the NFL, and you realize, I have been going by way of my course of and studying offense to proceed to grasp that, getting on the identical web page with my guys and [Arthur Smith].
“I am enthusiastic about what we are able to do that yr, however I’ve no private prognostications. I’ve no particular objectives that I might share publicly or issues that I must do to be judged on the season. You are going to be judged by what number of wins your group has, how far you go into playoffs. Clearly, due to the current playoff struggles right here; I do know that is effectively documented. In the long run, it is simply, are you able to be constant — week in week out — along with your efficiency and your management, and may you characterize the group the best means — on and off the sector — and be an excellent teammate. These are type of the bars. You do these issues and you’ve got success, and every little thing else comes your means.”
It is no coincidence that the Steelers and Jets are dealing with one another in Week 1. The NFL’s schedule makers are tasked with filling every week on the regular-season calendar with as many compelling video games as attainable. Given what transpired this previous season (the Steelers and Jets primarily swapped beginning quarterbacks, with Rodgers coming to Pittsburgh and Justin Fields signing with New York), this matchup guarantees to be probably the most intriguing ones in Week 1.
Whereas the matchup has loads of storylines, Rodgers did not pay his first matchup towards his most up-to-date former group any lip service. Briefly, the 41-year-old, four-time league MVP is — not less than publicly — this matchup as the primary in an extended 17-game common season.
“In all probability nowhere close to the place it is likely to be made out,” Rodgers mentioned when requested about Pittsburgh’s Week 1 matchup. “You realize, so much has modified over there. You realize, teaching workers smart, participant smart. Clearly, I’ve friendships over there, but it surely’s one recreation out of 17. And you realize, at 5 p.m. ET that Sunday, it is solely getting on to the following recreation. In order that’s simply the best way it’s.”
