Then, just four plays after Rodgers’ much-hyped Jets debut in a Monday night game with the Buffalo Bills, his Achilles tore, his season ended and the Gang Green faithful found their collective hopes dashed. That was not, of course, the end of the season. Rodgers flirted with an improbable comeback, the Jets won some games, lost more, the defense shined and the Zach Wilson-led offense floundered.
But with a glass-half-full view, Rodgers believes there are positives to take away from the team after going through the travails of a lost season.
However, with head coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett returning after the 7-10 season and Rodgers’ return closer every day, expectations are high once again and the weight on the upcoming season has increased. .
“Last year we dealt with a lot of adversity on and off the field,” Rodgers said. “Not just the injuries, but, you know, a lot of comments were said, a lot of things that came to light. And I think in those times of adversity, we really see what kind of character we have. And I’m proud of the way we we kept it together. I’m proud of the guys that came together with Coach Saleh and Coach Hackett. And obviously there’s a lot of urgency. You know, some people don’t like to talk about the urgency and the expectations and how our jobs are on the line. every year, but that’s the reality in this league.”
Urgency abounds in the Big Apple, but perhaps no one is or will be more scrutinized than Hackett.
After serving as the Green Bay Packers‘ offensive coordinator when Rodgers won back-to-back Keynote USA NFL Most Valuable Player awards in 2020-2021, Hackett accepted the Denver Broncos head coaching job in 2022. Russell Wilson joined and the results were disastrous. Hackett didn’t last a full season, Denver was last in scoring and Wilson was released last offseason.
Hackett found his way to New York to reunite with Rodgers, who was traded from Green Bay to New York last offseason.
However, with Rodgers down, the Jets’ offense was horrendous, and week after week, Zach Wilson and Hackett seemingly took turns as the batterers of the media and fans.
The Jets ranked 29th in the league in points scored, but Rodgers remains steadfast in his support of Hackett. So for Jets fans who doubt Hackett, Rodgers’ message is simple and emphatic.
“You should trust me and I trust Nathaniel,” Rodgers said of what he would tell Jets fans. “So, to me, that’s the end of the story. There’s been a lot of nonsense said out there. There’s a lot of things that have happened in the last two years that he’s dealt with that I think he’s handled very professionally. And At the end of the day, I think you have to trust his and my working relationship and the conversations we have.”
In the three years Hackett was Rodgers’ OC in Green Bay, the Packers finished 15th, 1st and 10th in points scored.
“We have to believe in Nathaniel,” Rodgers said. “There have been some things we’ve gotten better at, some things that were out of his control. At the end of the day, his and my partnership has been fruitful in the past, and it will be fruitful again.”
There is no doubt that there are jobs at stake and perhaps legacies at stake in the 2023 Jets season.
New York hasn’t had a winning season since 2015 and hasn’t advanced to the playoffs since 2010.
Questions and concerns alike abound, but Rodgers remains undaunted and unwavering.
“I’m looking forward to a season that I obviously hope will be much longer than the last one,” Rodgers said, “and much more fruitful.”
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