For a Jets fan ready on Aaron Rodgers to make his huge transfer, that is merciless and weird punishment. Examine that — it’s merciless and traditional punishment.
No metropolitan space shopper group has been subjected to extra setbacks than the women and men who assist MetLife Stadium’s secondary tenants. Excruciating delays are, the truth is, a part of the Jets’ season-ticket plan.
And so, on muscle reminiscence, the hopes that have been raised Friday by the phrases of Packers president Mark Murphy have been additionally tempered by previous heartbreak. Requested throughout a Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Affiliation ladies basketball match telecast if Rodgers would return to Inexperienced Bay for the 2023 season, Murphy mentioned that may occur solely “if issues don’t work out the way in which that we’d need them.” He added that the Packers are “looking for out what [Rodgers] desires and what we would like, and hopefully we will discover a win-win state of affairs.”
Murphy additionally referred to Rodgers’ profession in Inexperienced Bay prior to now tense in an interview with WBAY-TV. He identified that only a few gamers find yourself enjoying for just one NFL crew and spoke of Rodgers sometime going into the Corridor of Fame. “We’ll convey him again and retire his quantity,” Murphy mentioned.
That must be a walk-off landing for Jets followers, adopted by a celebratory slam dunk of the soccer over the crossbar. A Packers government simply publicly admitted that his crew doesn’t need Rodgers again, and that the four-time league MVP would retain his present job provided that he successfully forces his employer to maintain him.
Hey, arrange the press convention in Florham Park, and ensure somebody arranges the automobile service to get Joe Namath there.
Till additional discover, nevertheless, it’s not fairly that easy. Nothing is ever fairly that easy with the Jets.
Rodgers clearly is aware of that, too. In October, after his crew misplaced a house recreation to the Jets, the Packers quarterback praised Robert Saleh’s teaching and Joe Douglas’ roster. However in making his level on “The Pat McAfee Present,” Rodgers mentioned, “That’s not the Identical Previous Jets.”
So a man who performed his highschool and faculty ball in California, and spent his complete NFL profession on an NFC crew in Wisconsin, knew all concerning the S-O-J. In different phrases, Rodgers is aware of how the New York market and the remainder of the league perceives the group.
Jets followers are wired to fret about such issues. The crew’s decision-makers hopped on Woody Johnson’s jet Tuesday and flew throughout the nation for his or her Malibu assembly with Rodgers, and everybody supposedly got here away blissful. ESPN’s Dianna Russini reported that the Jets’ touring get together was optimistic sufficient after the sit-down to imagine they have been “on the brink” of touchdown the longer term Corridor of Famer.
However as of Friday night, the Jets have been nonetheless on the point of both one thing fairly rattling particular, or one thing that may be filed beneath memorable S-O-J moments. Perhaps Rodgers deliberate on ending the ready recreation later Friday evening, or someday this weekend, prematurely of the begin to free company subsequent week.
Perhaps Rodgers has no considerations concerning the Jets’ legitimacy, or about Woody Johnson’s Woody-ness. Perhaps he has already determined to complete his profession on the Meadowlands, and simply doesn’t need to announce his intentions publicly in case Packers normal supervisor Brian Gutekunst plans on utilizing his acknowledged choice as leverage in commerce negotiations with Douglas.
Or possibly Rodgers has known as timeout on the 5-yard line whereas asking himself, “Am I actually going to place my endgame within the arms of the New York Jets?”
The Packers would’ve by no means granted the Jets permission to talk with and meet with Rodgers if they’d any intention of conserving Jordan Love on the bench for an additional 12 months, or in the event that they hadn’t already determined that Douglas would certainly give up some type of package deal that may make the commerce work.
On prime of every thing else, star cornerback Sauce Gardner posted a singular recruiting video of him burning the cheesehead he grabbed at Lambeau Discipline in a yard barbecue attended by teammates Garrett Wilson and Breece Corridor. The outdated Jets, the middle-aged Jets and the younger Jets all need Rodgers. A crew divided by quarterback points all final season stands unified on this entrance.
So what’s the holdup? The Jets have revealed their desperation for an achieved veteran quarterback, and their proprietor has confirmed that he’s prepared to spend huge for mentioned veteran quarterback. The crew employed an offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett, who’s positively adored by Rodgers, and everybody agrees that the protection is already set to contend.
And but the deal isn’t executed. Jets followers are left to hope and pray that nothing goes unsuitable close to the purpose line, as a result of that’s what they’ve been skilled to do.
Jets followers lead the league in ready. They’ve been doing that since January 1969.