The interview with Aaron Rodgers on “The Pat McAfee Present” on Tuesday appeared to elicit a response from folks all over the place … nicely, nearly all over the place.
One place the place Rodgers’ rant on Jimmy Kimmel, COVID and Dr. Anthony Fauci solely elicited a shrug was One Jets Drive.
Although many individuals imagine the Jets ought to “shut down Rodgers” or inform him to cease speaking about non-football subjects, the Jets haven’t any points with Rodgers’ weekly look on McAfee. From chatting with folks contained in the group on the subject a number of occasions, the sense across the Jets is that none of what Rodgers says on McAfee has an impact on the staff or the group. Although it might be the speak across the water cooler at your workplace, it isn’t a sizzling matter in Florham Park.
In the event you disagree with Rodgers, chances are you’ll have a look at this and say what he’s doing is a poor reflection on the Jets. However Rodgers is such a giant star that he supersedes who his employer occurs to be. Did you have a look at the Packers any in another way when Rodgers was floating his opinions as a participant there or did you simply chalk them as much as it as Aaron being Aaron?
Rodgers is about as polarizing a determine as there may be in sports activities, and that’s solely accentuated proper now as a result of he has solely thrown one go in a Jets uniform and has but to steer them on a landing drive or to a win. As soon as Rodgers is again in uniform and taking part in quarterback at a excessive stage, the tolerance for his views will probably be larger, even by those that disagree with him.
Contained in the staff, there are those that applaud Rodgers for having the heart to problem the mainstream media. There are many individuals who agree along with his view on COVID and vaccines however would by no means say so publicly out of concern of the backlash.
Although they don’t seem to be towards him talking out, there in all probability is a few reduction within the staff places of work that Rodgers gained’t be again on McAfee for some time after Tuesday’s look. He’s anticipated to be again on the present subsequent yr, the place he absolutely will make extra headlines.
As for Rodgers’ teammates, most of them don’t even know who Kimmel is or take note of what Rodgers says. For them, it’s about what he can do on a soccer subject and what they’ve seen from him contained in the locker room.
Jets gamers spoke glowingly about what they noticed from Rodgers on the apply subject over the previous few weeks as he ran the scout staff towards the protection. Rodgers is the important thing to the Jets turning issues round in 2024, and everybody is aware of that and embraces it. Rodgers’ views on RFK Jr. don’t actually matter to guys who simply need somebody who can keep away from sacks and throw landing passes.
“I promise you. I don’t suppose anybody actually cares about — inside these partitions, his teammates — nobody cares in regards to the McAfee Present,” coach Robert Saleh stated throughout “The Michael Kay Present” on Monday. “I feel that’s extra simply noise for the surface world. However simply the issues in right here, and the issues that we have to do higher as a corporation, as gamers, as coaches, all of us, when it comes to cease sweating the small stuff, and let’s fear about successful soccer video games.”
Rodgers has endeared himself to his teammates and Jets staffers. He has been engaged since arriving in April. The pure comparability for Rodgers for the reason that commerce from Inexperienced Bay has been Brett Favre, who was traded from the Packers to the Jets in 2008.
Favre felt like a employed gun when he was right here. He by no means appeared invested within the staff and was hardly ever within the locker room. He as an alternative spent most of his time in an workplace close to the tools room.
Rodgers, then again, constantly sits at his locker and chats with teammates. He went out to dinner and went to performs and sporting occasions with teammates through the spring and summer time. Most of the younger Jets relish the eye they receiver from the longer term Corridor of Famer.
So, although many individuals want to see the Jets inform Rodgers to close up, it isn’t taking place. The honeymoon could also be over for Rodgers and the Jets, however the marriage stays robust, and Rodgers’ world views and the best way he expresses them will not be altering that.
