Quarterback Aaron Rodgers leaves the field following his injury. (Photo Michael Owens/Getty Images)
By Charlie Miller, Staff Writer
Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles four plays into his highly anticipated New York Jets debut and will miss the entire season.
For 54 years, New York Jets fans have suffered almost exclusively agony, pain, and misery. Once again, the football Gods twisted the knife into Gang Green’s heart, in the form of the hated injury bug.
Four plays into his heralded Jets debut, quarterback Aaron Rodgers was sacked by Buffalo Bills linebacker Leonard Floyd in the first quarter, and his left leg twisted awkwardly. He sat down immediately after the play, and MetLife stadium collectively groaned. Rodgers was helped off the field and soon left on a cart.
The Jets, to their credit, were resilient. They hung around with the help of four turnovers from quarterback Josh Allen, and rookie breakout Xavier Gipson sent everyone home happy with a walk-off punt return touchdown. Zach Wilson filled in for Rodgers and did enough to earn them a 22-16 victory. The defense stayed strong all day, as free agent acquisition Jordan Whitehead intercepted Allen three times.
For a fanbase that has not seen a playoff berth since 2010 (the longest active playoff drought in pro sports), the news that Rodgers would miss the entire 2023-24 season with a torn Achilles was not welcome. Reactions from Jets fans around the world represented heartbreak, pleading with the divine and flurries of potential what-if questions.
Jets fan Sean Fennessey on the Ringer’s Bill Simmons Podcast said that it hurt more because Jets fans had the opportunity to see what a “fun team” is. Breece Hall, the Jets explosive running back shows promise, as does electrifying wideout Garret Wilson. Jets fans undoubtedly will wearily ask themselves what could have been with those two weapons, Rodgers, and a suffocating defense. Instead, they must settle for a Zach Wilson-led offense yet again.
The former number two overall pick out of BYU was once hyped, but now as he enters his third NFL season, many Jets fans howl for another option. Following the Rodgers news, media personalities and fans alike racked their brains for any viable free-agent quarterback option. The names ranged from Jacoby Brissett and Carson Wentz to bigger names such as Colin Kaepernick and even a retired Tom Brady.
In the weeks since, the Jets have lost both games, and Wilson has shown virtually no signs of improvement or competency. Granted, they have played two of the better defenses in the NFL against the Patriots and Cowboys, but if this continues, Jets fans may become relentless, which will force management to make a change.
On the flip side, there are two alternative options that may seem far-fetched, but in the world of sports, who knows what might happen?
The first, and some would say more unlikely option, is that Zach Wilson could improve, aided by excellent defense and offensive weapons like the aforementioned Wilson and Hall, along with freshly signed Dalvin Cook. Wilson would need to rise to the level of a game manager, where he would not lose games and keep the Jets in them.
The second option is partially contingent on the first option succeeding, which is that perhaps Wilson or (insert signed quarterback name here) could keep the Jets in the playoff hunt enough for Rodgers to make a quick recovery and return for the postseason.
In a recent interview, Rodgers said that his doctors have put together “a pretty good rehab plan that’s going to shock some people.” Who knows? Maybe Rodgers could come back for the playoffs, but the question is also if a Rodgers-less Jets team can make it there.
