Aaron Rodgers Reflects On ‘One of the Best, Hardest Years of My Life’…
And Looks Ahead to the 2024 NFL Season, and ‘I Say Bring It On’
Few Jets fans will forget the euphoria surrounding last year’s regular-season opener versus Buffalo at MetLife Stadium on Monday night, September 11.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, wearing jersey No. 8 from Cal-Berkeley, dashes onto the field while holding the American flag. Then, four plays into the game, Rodgers’ first season with the Green and White was done before it ever began.
“It was one of the best, hardest years of my life,” Rodgers told Eric Allen on an episode of “The Official Jets Podcast.” “I am extremely grateful for all of the highs and lows. But I’m hoping for a smoother voyage this year.
Despite his difficulties after injuring his Achilles tendon, Rodgers — ever the optimist — emerged with a slew of wonderful experiences.
“Everything was new,” he explained. “New city.” New state to live in. New facilities, new teammates and coaching staff, and amazing men and women working at One Jets Drive. The fandom. You’re familiar with all of the summer activities we did last year, including Broadway shows, restaurants, late nights, and pizza places. It was a different place, a different city, and then just running across the field with the American flag… I’d never done that before. On 9/11. And how electrifying that was.
“There’s been a lot of beauty that’s come out of the heartbreak and frustration and I’m gonna try and channel as much as I can to this season, these guys, trying to give our fans a lot to cheer about.”
Simply knowing that Rodgers is poised to run it back gives Jets supporters a lot to be excited about. And with a revamped offensive line (adding veterans Tyron Smith, Moses Morgan, and John Simpson; plus first-round draft pick Olu Fashanu), more waiting arms for him to throw to (with veteran wide receiver Mike Williams and rookie Malachi Corley), and more talent in the backfield (draftees Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis), Rodgers said he’s positively champing at the bit as he looks ahead to the Week 1 Monday night clash against the San Francisco 49ers back in his native California.
“Life comes full circle for us,” Rodgers added. “I realized I was re-entering the lions’ cave when [Niners tight end] George Kittle posted something on Instagram that said something like’see you soon,’ with a picture of him and me with long hair on the field in Green Bay. Both offenses were on the field for a brief period of time, most likely for a review.
And I was like, ‘Oh shoot, we’re going to face the Niners in the first game.’ And I knew the San Francisco game was on the road, so we’d be there in the opener… I figured if you put the two big teams together, it had to be on either Sunday or Monday night. So I’m thrilled about it.
“That’s a long, long journey. It’s an excellent stadium. I participated in it. That was my childhood team. There was a lot of talk a million years ago about them getting first selection. I adore Alex [Smith, who was picked first overall in 2005, the same year Rodgers was drafted by the Packers at No. 24], and things happen as they do. It’s a terrific opportunity for us to start the season and assess how we compare to a quality football squad. And it will be fantastic since you will be up against the entire squad in Week 1.
And no one will ever be 100 % during the season after that moment. So we finally see how our 100% in Week 1 compares to their 100%.”
Rodgers is back with a club that returns an exceptional defense and offers him with a deeper, more flexible, and, to varying degrees, more dangerous attack for the four-time NFL MVP and future Hall of Famer to lead.
“I believe in the roster, for sure, and I love what [GM] Joe [Douglas] has done,” Rogers stated. “I appreciate that we added Malachi; he was my favorite receiver in the draft. He may not have been the greatest on paper in the draft, but I felt certain that his mindset and intensity would fit in with what we were attempting to do. And we bring in Braelon Allen, who is now sitting in front of me at a meeting. He is half my age; I will be 41 [in December] before he turns 21 [in January].The man can’t even legally drink, but he’s a monster.
I recall him in Wisconsin as a 17-year-old playing for the University of Wisconsin. I felt that was completely insane. When you watch the videos and see him squat and bench three or four plates, he’s a monster. And you’re putting him behind one of the league’s most versatile backs, Breece Hall. He proved last year that he can catch the ball out of the backfield and make plays, and he clearly runs his ass off.