The New York Jets have been the NFL’s version of a never-ending soap opera. Year after year, Woody Johnson’s team has cycled through quarterbacks in hopes of landing a true franchise leader but has failed in spectacular fashion. Their most recent gamble on Aaron Rodgers is the best example, as the four-time NFL MVP was supposed to be the one to finally move the needle for the Jets.
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But a season-ending Achilles injury and another campaign full of dramas later, the Jets have found themselves back where they started—desperate for an elite playmaker. Here’s the kicker, however: the New York Jets could have avoided all their drama of the last 5 years had they simply taken comedy legend Larry David’s advice seriously.
Back in 2020, the “Curb Your Enthusiasm” creator appeared on The Michael Kay Show, where he revealed how he had personally called up then-Jets GM Mike Maccagnan before the 2018 NFL Draft, urging him to draft a young QB from Louisville named Lamar Jackson.
“I did. I called Mike Maccagnan before the 2018 Draft,” David told Kay. “And I recommended that he draft Lamar Jackson. Yes, I have a witness.”
When asked how Maccagnan reacted, Larry said the GM dismissed the idea outright. “He kind of gave me the most condescending look,” David recalled.
But the legendary comic holds no grudges against Maccagnan for the snub, as even he didn’t expect Lamar Jackson to become the phenom he is today.
“He laughed at me! But who can blame him? Nobody thought Jackson was gonna be great—except for the Ravens.”
Larry David visits The Michael Kay Show and discusses some New York sports. #TMKSonYES pic.twitter.com/69sukmubMB
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) January 7, 2020
To be fair to Larry David, the comedian wasn’t the only one who saw Lamar Jackson’s potential while others remained blind to his talents. As the comic recalled, even Hall of Fame GM Bill Polian believed in the two-time NFL MVP’s talents, but with a twist.
Polian was of the opinion that Jackson should be a wide receiver in the NFL due to his unprecedented run game. “Bill Polian wanted to make Lamar Jackson a wide receiver,” David pointed out.
But as luck would have it, Larry David’s scouting instincts didn’t amount to much, as it was the Baltimore Ravens who drafted Jackson with the 32nd overall pick.
And the rest, as they say, is history. The Ravens star took the league by storm, winning the NFL MVP award in just his second season. The Jets, meanwhile, drafted Zach Wilson in 2021—a move that, as we all know, aged like milk.
But that said, the Big Apple team seems to be embarking on a new era with HC Aaron Glenn and Justin Fields. They’d be hoping that the former Steelers QB can finally bring stability to a franchise that desperately needs it.
Many believe the Jets may have actually gotten it right this time. But if not… someone should probably give Larry David a call before the next draft.
