NFL’s oldest active player Aaron Rodgers is not letting his age come in the way of the team’s success. But after an electrifying 24-3 win against the Patriots, Chad Johnson thinks that the 40-year-old quarterback’s body might need some rest.
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After missing the full 2023 season, Rodgers was back on his feet for the Jets in the season-opening game against the 49ers followed by games against the Titans and the Patriots, all within 11 days.
On the Nightcap show, Shannon Sharpe highlighted Rodgers’s fitness levels for playing three games without breaks but warned that”‘that’s a lot on a 40-year-old body.” Co-host Chad Johnson responded that Rodgers would most likely not resume practice and could opt for a well-deserved time off:
“One thing you know Aaron ain’t practicing, He’s definitely not. If somebody gonna take some time off, it’s gonna be him. I don’t know who the backup quarterback is or whoever the number two quarterback is for the Jets but he gonna get some reps in.”
If Johnson’s claim stands true, Tyrod Taylor will get a call to start in Rodgers’s absence. The Pro Bowl quarterback joined the team in early 2024 to back up Rodgers but saw limited playtime in the preseason as the team preferred young Adrian Martinez as the starting QB.
In the 49ers game, he made a short appearance in the final minutes of the 4th quarter but managed to throw a touchdown pass in the team’s 32-19 loss.
It’s fair to assume that with years of experience playing for the Giants, Ravens, and other teams he should be able to handle the offense in Rodgers’s absence but it won’t be an easy fight.
It is still unclear if Rodgers will play against the Broncos or not but his absence could prove costly with big games in the coming weeks.
Who are the Jets playing next?
With back-to-back losses, the Bo Nix-led Broncos should be an easy fixture and could provide Rodgers some time off to recoup for the upcoming bigger games.
The Jets have a stacked calendar after that with tough games against the Vikings and the Bills. Rodgers’s role will be crucial in these games and if he opts to miss any of the games it will be a fight till the end for the backup QB.
After that, they will have some relatively easier fixtures with the Steelers, the Patriots, and the Texans.
Rodgers was looking fit in the Patriots game and hasn’t said anything about taking a break. After missing the full 2023 season, he might even push through to play the full season to secure the team’s post-season seat. It won’t be unheard of as a 40-year-old Brady did it with ease and even won the Super Bowl.
