After missing out on the entire last season, a lot was expected of Aaron Rodgers this year. Unfortunately for the Jets fanbase, A-Rod and the offense haven’t clicked so far, leading to analysts like Ryan Clark calling out the QB for his lack of leadership skills.
Advertisement
In the latest episode of “Get Up ESPN”, Clark went no holds barred as he launched a scathing criticism against Aaron Rodgers. The Jets, who are 2-3 in the first five games of the season don’t look like an improved unit with A-Rod’s presence.
For Clark, this is enough reason to not keep Rodgers at the same level as Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. The analyst noted that both Tom and Peyton, towards the end of their NFL stints, brought massive offensive improvements in the Bucs and Broncos respectively. Something Aaron hasn’t done so far with the Jets.
“The spirit, the reverence, the attention, the details, and the respect of those organizations(Bucs and Broncos) immediately was magnified by the addition of those two quarterbacks,” Ryan recalled. He then went on to call the idea of A-Rod amongst the GOATs a “catfish” and clarified that in terms of leadership, Peyton and Brady are a notch above the Jets QB.
View this post on Instagram
Clark reckons that Rodgers lacks that spark inside him that distinguishes one from an average leader. “There is something that he is missing in his intangible DNA that makes him devoid of great leadership, makes him devoid of being able to elevate locker rooms,” the ESPN analyst said.
While the analyst’s comments might come across as too harsh, unfortunately for Rodgers fans, there is merit in his argument.
Aaron Rodgers’ stint at Jets so far has shown that he cannot shoulder all the weight himself
When Tom Brady first joined the Bucs after a legendary stint at New England, many were curious to see how the GOAT would fare without Bill Belichick. However, not only did Tom take a team that hadn’t been in the postseason since 2007 to the playoffs, but also ended up winning the Super Bowl.
Similarly, Peyton Manning in his first year with the Broncos achieved phenomenal individual success [4,659 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions] and also led Denver to the playoffs where they narrowly lost in the Divisional Round clash to eventual Super Bowl winners in Baltimore.
The question now is, has Aaron Rodgers shown glimpses of this level of brilliance in his Jets stint so far? Sadly, the answer is ‘NO’. Moreover, with other title contenders starting on a strong foot and the Chiefs and Vikings remaining unbeaten in their first five, it’s unlikely that the Jets will make it to the playoffs this season.
Physically and skill-wise, there is no doubt that A-Rod deserves to be counted in the creme de la creme of the NFL, but in terms of leadership and adjusting outside his comfort zone… not so much!
