Rodgers expects 'greatness' in comeback season

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Only days away from his 20th season, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers was in such an upbeat mood Thursday that he joked about last season’s Achilles injury. Fully healed, the ever-confident star said he expects to deliver a memorable comeback season.

“I have a lot of pride in my performance, so when I take the field, I expect greatness because I’ve done it before,” Rodgers said before practice. “So that’s the kind of standard I hold myself to.”

Rodgers, 40, the oldest player in the NFL, will face the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night, two days shy of the one-year anniversary of his torn Achilles. It happened on the fourth snap of the first game, essentially derailing the Jets’ season.

“There might be a little smirk after the fourth [snap],” a smiling Rodgers said, looking ahead to Monday night.

Rodgers hasn’t played a full game in 20 months, dating to his 2022 season finale with the Green Bay Packers. He also didn’t play in the preseason, although he did take a large number of practice reps (approximately 800) in training camp.

Despite his many accomplishments, including four MVPs and one Super Bowl championship, Rodgers said he still has something to prove.

“I’ve always kind of played with something on my shoulder,” he said. “You have to manufacture things from time to time, but, yeah, I mean, it kind of goes back to the proving it. Who would I need to prove it to? Just myself at this point.”

The Jets, who begin the season with Super Bowl aspirations, are counting heavily on Rodgers — again.

“I think he’s in a great place,” coach Robert Saleh said. “Not just mentally, but physically he looks awesome. You guys have been there every day and you see how well he looked, how good he looks. … He’s a professional. He’s done it a long time. He’s not a 40-year-old quarterback, so I think he’s just fine.”

Rodgers threw the ball well in training camp, but the part of his game that jumped out to teammates was his ability to move around the pocket. There seemed to be no ill effects from the Achilles injury. Of course, he has yet to face a live pass rush.

He reiterated his belief that the Jets, 7-10 the past two seasons, have Super Bowl potential. “Of course,” said Rodgers, who gushed about his improved offensive line. He also praised the maturity of the locker room, saying that mindset will help the team navigate adversity.

“I’ve always kind of played with something on my shoulder. You have to manufacture things from time to time, but, yeah, I mean, it kind of goes back to the proving it. Who would I need to prove it to? Just myself at this point.”

Aaron Rodgers

“We can’t ride these waves of emotion or frustration or outside narratives or any of these things,” Rodgers said. “We’ve got to keep this thing very tight. We can’t have any leaks or people jumping ship. We got to realize it’s going to be a long season.”

He made similar comments at the end of last season, saying the team must learn to eliminate distractions and “flush the B.S.” That remark drew criticism when Rodgers himself made headlines, first as a rumored vice presidential candidate and later for an unexcused trip to Egypt during a mandatory minicamp. He was fined by the team for skipping the camp.

Since then, his focus has been football, according to coaches and teammates.

“I’m in a good mind space,” Rodgers said. “[I] really had a year to remember in a lot of ways — some really difficult things, with some great things as well. So, there’s always a perspective moment during the Anthem to collect your thoughts and kind of send gratitude out to the universe for the opportunity for me stand on the field and pads. I’ll be really excited about that.”

Meanwhile, it appears the Jets will be without Pro Bowl edge rusher Haason Reddick, whose holdout continues. Reddick, demanding a new contract, hasn’t participated in any team activities since arriving in a March 29 trade from the Philadelphia Eagles.

Saleh stopped short of ruling out Reddick for Monday night, saying it’s still possible for him to play if he showed up for practice.

“It’s feasible,” Saleh said. “The opponent we’re playing now just had two guys [Trent Williams and Brandon Aiyuk] show up to practice. You trust that your veterans who know how to do things the right way will get themselves ready to play.”