The Jets have found themselves in the drama mill again. Remember the controversial Aaron Rodgers absence from the mandatory minicamp or coach Robert Saleh’s comments about it? Well, the characters remain the same this time as well but with a slightly different plot.
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Following Sunday’s shocking home defeat to the Denver Broncos, Jets head coach Robert Saleh questioned whether A-Rod’s cadence led his offense to commit five false start penalties in the 10-9 loss. Rodgers countered by noting New York had only one false start through three weeks and voiced that the team should hold people accountable instead of dialing back their operation.
After these press conference jabs, Rodgers made his usual Pat McAfee Show appearance on Tuesday afternoon. At the start of his segment, the former punter jokingly promoted Rodgers from player to coach as he introduced him to the audience.
“He’s a four-time NFL MVP, currently the head coach of the New York Jets. Ladies and gentlemen, Aaron Rodgers.”
In response, Rodgers shook his head and cracked a smile as he appeared on-screen. He then remarked that McAfee’s introduction reminded him of a Key & Peele skit, and shifted the conversation to Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks’ touchdown celebration.
“What if [Brandin Cooks] just brings the arrow out?… [He] gets it out of the quiver, and thinks about loading it, but just kind of holds [it]. The referee’s gonna be watching… ‘is he loading it?’… just a slight little draw. Flag!”
Rodgers threw for 225 yards in Sunday’s game and missed out on a chance to convert a 4th-and-Goal from the Broncos’ 1-yard line because of one of those false start penalties. This led many to question Rodgers‘ endurance on the field as the QB admitted to feeling a little worn out.
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Early in Rodgers’ segment, McAfee brought up the Jets’ final possession of Sunday’s game. Rodgers’ potential game-winning drive failed after kicker Greg Zuerlein missed a 50-yard field goal, leading Rodgers to shield his eyes on the bench.
McAfee told Rodgers he looked “bummed out,” then said he imagined New York’s fans “are feeling the same way.” Rodgers admitted he isn’t feeling at his best physically following his most recent outing, but made sure to mention there’s still a lot of football left before anything becomes definitive.
“I’m feeling a little banged up. Took some shots; [my] knee is a little swollen…I’m hoping that we can all have a little perspective here. That seemed like an outlier game. Obviously, Denver has a real solid defense, but the weather and their defense and our lack of execution made [for] a bad combination.”
The Jets face a tough stretch of opposing defenses over the next month, giving Rodgers little time to get things turned around before the season potentially spins out of control. His quest begins in London on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.
