The New York Jets have been, and always will be, one of the most talked about teams in the NFL. This is due to the major market that they play in, as well as the millions upon millions of fans that follow the organization. For well over a decade, this has not necessarily been a good thing for the team.
A 2023 pre-draft trade for future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers not only increased interest in the Jets, but also performance expectations. Their selection to be featured on “Hard Knocks” last year was evidence of that.
Unfortunately for New York and their fans, the addition of the four-time NFL MVP has not yet generated the positive results, or press, for which they had hoped.
New York Jets Quarterback Aaron Rodgers Made More Headlines for Off-Field Reasons than On-Field
As fans are well-aware, Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon four snaps into his first regular season game with the Jets last year. Of course, this ended his season before it even got a chance to begin.
Despite not being able to play, Rodgers still made his regular weekly appearances of the Pat McAfee Show and had more time to appear on other podcasts as well. Some of the comments that he made during these appearances put his name in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
As some may recall, he caused quite the stir when, on the Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers insinuated that comedian Jimmy Kimmel (with whom he has a years-long feud) did not want to the infamous Epstein List revealed.
He also caused a stir earlier this year when he praised Russian President Vladimir Putin during an interview with Tucker Carlson.
Before that, Rodgers also was named as a potential vice-presidential running mate by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Of course, Rodgers could not make any headlines for his play on the field due to his injury, but the Jets organization could not have been happy about the types of stories being written about him due to his off-field pursuits.
An Anonymous NFL Agent Says Aaron Rodgers Has Brought Terrible Vibes to the New York Jets
In the sixth-annual NFL agents survey carried out by The Athletic, one anonymous agent specifically called out Rodgers for ruining the vibes of the Jets’ organization. “There is complete disarray over there,” the agent said. “Look at how they’ve handled Aaron Rodgers. Has one player had more power than him? He skipped minicamp. They have been unable to convert him into a team player. The vibe inside the building is terrible.”
Rodgers, of course, admitted that he had skipped mandatory minicamp to take a trip to Egypt, a trip that he had planned months before he knew that it would coincide with minicamp.
NFL locker rooms are known for being notoriously close-knit, with players and coaches typically keeping their business in-house.
That being said, it is increasingly noteworthy that the only negative reports about Rodgers and how he is affecting the team come from people that are not associated with the team.
New York Jets and Green Bay Packers Players Have Had High Praise for Aaron Rodgers
Earlier this month, former Jets head coach Eric Mangini was quoted as saying that Rodgers “doesn’t care. He doesn’t care about the other 10 guys.”
Rodgers’ teammates, both past and present, however, tell a different story. Last season, former Packers and Jets wide receiver Randall Cobb said of Rodgers, “He’s one of the most special individuals I’ve been around. Very caring, very knowledgeable, puts in the time and effort to learn things he doesn’t know about. When people tell him something, he asks why. Thoughtful.”
Jets legend Joe Namath said of Rodgers last year, “Just the way he is. He wants to win, and he wants that team he’s on to win. And he already likes the area, the coaches, the people around there — the teammates especially.”
In other words, what that anonymous NFL agent said must be taken with a grain of salt. So, too, should the comments of Rodgers’ teammates. When there are two sides to a story, the truth is somewhere in the middle.
That being said, concluding that the agent, who will not put his or her name behind the words, may be exaggerating.
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