The New York Jets believe they have all the ingredients to finally compete for the Super Bowl this year. Of course, they thought so last year after signing four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers. Unfortunately, the future Hall of Famer tore his Achilles tendon four snaps into the 2023 regular season and the Jets finished the season 7-10 for the second year in a row.
Despite the disappointment of the 2023 season, hopes are once again high in New York as Rodgers and the new offensive weapons they acquired for him prepare for their attempt to get the Jets back to the postseason for the first time since 2010.
The key to all their potential success, of course, lies with their quarterback, whom they tried to lure to New York by any means possible.
Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers had many disagreements
The Packers and Rodgers have always had a good relationship. He rose to elite status in Green Bay, winning Super Bowl XLV and two NFL MVP awards in his first 12 seasons as starting quarterback. The Packers repaid his outstanding play with the most lucrative contracts in team history.
But then came the 2019 season, the first season under head coach Matt LaFleur. That year, Rodgers completed 62.0% of his passes for 4,002 yards, 26 touchdowns, two interceptions and a passer rating of 95.7.
While these weren’t terrible numbers, they were definitely not what people expected from Rodgers, and it was the third straight season that his performance dropped off.
Although they had no immediate need for a new quarterback, the Packers knew the time would come when they would no longer have Rodgers as their quarterback, so they traded up in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft and selected Jordan Love.
This decision marked the beginning of the end of Rodgers’ tenure in Green Bay and his positive relationship with the organization. While he was an exemplary teammate and mentor to his designated successor, Rodgers’ dealings with management deteriorated.
Of course, the future Hall of Famer won the NFL MVP Award in each of the next two seasons and used the perceived insult from management as additional motivation.
The success the Packers and Rodgers experienced together as a team resulted in two consecutive appearances in the NFC Championship Game and the most lucrative contract for a quarterback in NFL history (Rodgers signed a three-year, $150 million contract before the 2022 season).
But neither success nor money could save the relationship. Rodgers wanted general manager Brian Gutekunst fired, and the Packers wouldn’t give in to his demand.
When Rodgers ignored Gutekunst’s calls after their disappointing 8-9 finish in 2022, the team decided it was time to move on.
The New York Jets wanted to convince Aaron Rodgers to choose them before being traded from the Green Bay Packers
When the Packers announced they were releasing Rodgers via a trade, there was no shortage of teams interested in the future Hall of Famer. In fact, many teams in need of a quarterback contacted Green Bay to inquire about the asking price.
But the Packers also wanted to do Rodgers justice. In other words, they wanted to sell him to a team that He wanted to play. And so the courting began.
The Jets were, of course, one of the teams very interested in the four-time NFL MVP, and in an effort to convince him to play for them, they began building their roster and coaching staff around him, even though they hadn’t signed him yet.
Nathaniel Hackett, who had previously been Rodgers’ offensive coordinator with the Packers, was hired for the same role on Robert Saleh’s coaching staff. They also went out and signed free agent wide receiver Allen Lazard, a player Rodgers wanted to continue playing with.
Aaron Rodgers received a royal gift from New York Jets owner Woody Johnson
Of course, the Jets also flew to Rodgers’ California home to recruit players. Owner Woody Johnson had a special gift for the quarterback.
As many know, a new biography of Rodgers is coming out this month, titled Out of Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers by Ian O’Connor. In the book, Rodgers reveals that Johnson, the former US ambassador to the UK under former President Donald Trump, brought him a unique gift: “He gave me some honey from the Queen’s garden.”
Rodgers is a well-known history buff and the honey from Queen Elizabeth II’s garden was a truly wonderful gift for him.
It certainly impressed him and helped him complete his task.
Not long after the visit, Rodgers informed the Packers that he wanted to be traded to the Jets. Ultimately, both sides agreed that New York would trade first-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft with Green Bay, give them their second-round pick this year and send them a conditional second-round pick in 2024.
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