Aaron Rodgers recently ended his relationship with the Green Bay Packers and moved on to the New York Jets, where he will play his 19th season. Even though his 2022 season was nothing less than a disaster, the new Jets QB and the team are wishing well for themselves ahead of the 2023 season. But before the serious charade starts, NFL stars, including Aaron, are making sure that they mark their attendance at marquee events across the country. In fact, at the recently concluded Kentucky Derby, A-Rod recently got to meet his former Green Bay teammates.
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One of Aaron’s best targets, Davante Adams, also caught up with his former quarterback with whom he played for eight seasons. But in the 2022 offseason, the Pro Bowl wideout signed with the Las Vegas Raiders. His journey with the Raiders made him realize something interesting about A-Rod.
Davante Adams does not believe Aaron Rodgers had any hand in his success
The 30-year-old has earned first-team All-Pro honor for three consecutive seasons, but it was this year’s selection that mattered to him the most. That is because Davante achieved it without Rodgers as his passer. As per The Ringer’s report, Adams proud himself at the fact that he was able to get the All-Pro nod, all by himself.
“It proved that I am me. A quarterback doesn’t make me. … I make me. And I can do it consistently at this level. That’s why [last] season meant a lot. Even if I went and played like dog s— next year, they can’t say it. Because now I’ve already proved it throughout the course of a season, played every game, and put together a résumé that says I do not need …You can erase all the numbers. You can just write in: He didn’t need Aaron Rodgers.”
When Davante was playing with Green Bay, he felt as though his success was clouded by the team’s former QB. Adams desperately wanted to kill the “QB-Needy” narrative, a theory given by some football fans who reckoned that the WR did well in Green Bay because he had Aaron Rodgers as his QB. However, now Adams is a relieved man as he has well and truly proven his worth in the absence of A-Rod.
Following his record-breaking contract of five years and $141.25 million, which positioned him as the highest-paid receiver in the NFL at the time, Adams had an exceptional season with the Raiders. He hauled in 100 receptions for 1,516 yards and led the league with 14 receiving touchdowns in 17 games. His outstanding performance earned him a spot in the Pro Bowl, with Derek Carr as the primary quarterback for most of the season.
Adams wants to win the Super Bowl
Adams’ dream pairing with his former college QB Derek Carr did not go down well, as the 2022 season ended hopelessly for the Raiders. While Carr ultimately had to find a new team, the former Packers WR still remains on the roster while being paid handsomely for catching passes.
Due to the general difficulties faced by the Las Vegas’ team in 2022, Adams’ impressive performance didn’t receive the recognition it deserved. Moreover, Carr’s late-season snub left an impact on the star receiver, as he said that the move made by general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels was not the best. “We don’t see eye to eye on what we think is best for us right now,” Davante told Ringer while talking about Carr.
Despite his reservations about the team, Davante knows what his end goal is and what the reality is: to connect with Jimmy G in the team.
“My goal is to win a Super Bowl with this team. And that’s why I didn’t come here to just be cute with Derek,” he said. “It is to really try and have a shot at changing this organization.”
It will be interesting to see how Davante performs in the time to come.
