How Aaron Rodgers is approaching Jets’ closing stretch in ‘tough’ season
Aaron Rodgers isn’t working away from taking part in out the string in a 3-9 season.
Throughout his weekly look Tuesday on “The Pat McAfee Present,” Rodgers spoke about his mentality getting into Gang Inexperienced’s closing stretch of the season, two days after the workforce dropped a crushing 26-21 residence loss to the Seahawks for his or her eighth defeat prior to now 9 video games.
“It’s been a tough season. Quite a lot of alternatives to win video games that we didn’t get the job finished within the fourth quarter,” Rodgers stated. “… When you may have an opportunity to win within the fourth quarter and are available up brief it’s slightly further disappointing.”
Rodgers and the Jets dominated for a lot of the primary half Sunday towards the Seahawks till defensive finish Leonard Williams — a former Jet — picked off the long run Corridor of Famer for a landing, swinging the momentum in Seattle’s favor.
Moments after the sport concluded, interim coach Jeff Ulbrich was requested if the Jets would ponder a quarterback change, to which he responded, “Not as of at present.”
Ulbrich confirmed Monday that Rodgers — who additionally celebrated his forty first birthday that day — can be the workforce’s starter getting into Week 14.
“We’ve got nice perception in Aaron. We actually do,” Ulbrich stated Monday. “We expect he offers us the perfect alternative to win.”
The Jets-Rodgers union has failed to fulfill expectations following the blockbuster commerce with Inexperienced Bay lower than two years in the past.
Though Rodgers missed most of 2023 after struggling a season-ending Achilles harm simply 4 snaps into the primary sport, the playoff hopes for 2024 dwindled because the losses piled up.
Rodgers continued Tuesday that he needs to “battle” together with his teammates “so long as I really feel wholesome.”
“We receives a commission for 17 weeks. Not 10, not 11, not 5, so in the event you’re the starter, you need to play all of the video games. I need to be on the market with my guys and battle so long as I really feel wholesome,” Rodgers stated. “Physique feels pretty much as good because it felt, whether or not fortuitously or sadly for the scenario, physique feels nice I need to be on the market, I need to be on the market with the blokes, I need to battle. Have a number of satisfaction in taking part in.”
“One among my targets this yr getting back from the Achilles was to play all 17 video games. And I assume that may be 17 video games plus no matter playoff video games we performed in, clearly that hasn’t been the case this yr. However we nonetheless bought 5 video games left, would like to be on the market battling with the blokes.”
Rodgers has thrown 19 touchdowns towards eight interceptions by way of 12 video games this season whereas finishing 62.5 p.c of his passes.
Regardless of subpar stats and a season that has seen the firings of head coach Robert Saleh and common supervisor Joe Douglas, Rodgers expressed that if he ought to play in 2025, he wish to compete for the Jets.
“I don’t even know if I need to play but, however New York can be my first possibility,” he advised McAfee final week.
Rodgers additionally said: “If I can keep wholesome the remainder of the yr and play the best way I need to play and all people feels good about bringing me again then there’s a call there.
“… At this level, I’m open to every little thing and hooked up to nothing, so, it’s a very good place to be.”
The Jets go to the Dolphins on Sunday.
