Jets and Aaron Rodgers wrestle for a miracle
Aaron Rodgers should finally lead the New York Jets to the Super Bowl, but he injured himself in the first game against the Buffalo Bills. The two teams meet again today. With a win, the Jets can still hope for the playoffs and a medical miracle.
New York has countless bridges. The most iconic? First and foremost the Brooklyn Bridge, which connects Brooklyn and Manhattan. A circus organizer once had 21 elephants walk across the structure to demonstrate their resilience. Then there's the Manhattan Bridge, which also runs between Brookyln and - you guessed it - Manhattan. The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge leads across to Staten Island and is still the longest suspension bridge on the American continent with a length of over 2000 meters. Aaron Rodgers' Speedbridge, on the other hand, is tiny and probably only known to fans of the New York Jets. What fans of the New York Jets know very well: Waiting. 54 years. That's how long the Jets have been waiting for the second Super Bowl victory in franchise history. In the summer of 2023, they can finally hope again thanks to a blockbuster trade.
Aaron Rodgers, who spent four days in complete darkness after the last NFL season pondering the continuation of his career, will be the light at the end of the tunnel for the Jets. "He's one of the best players - one of the greatest players - I've ever seen in my life," Jets legend Joe Namath, who led the franchise to its first Super Bowl triumph in 1969, said in an interview with "ESPN."
Legend offers jersey number
No one would want to contradict Namath. Of his more than five thousand passes, 475 resulted in touchdowns (only four quarterbacks in NFL history scored more). He was voted onto the NFL All-Star team ten times, and consequently also onto the All-Star team of the 10s. He was honored as the best player of the season four times (only Peyton Manning has one more award). Alongside Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers is probably the most influential quarterback of his generation. After several years of irrelevance (the Jets last made the playoffs in 2010), the arrival of Aaron Rodgers in New York is causing unprecedented euphoria. Namath also emphasizes: "He can lift this team."
Aaron Rodgers became a legend with the Green Bay Packers, with whom he won the Superbowl in 2010. He wore the green and yellow jersey with the number 12 there from 2005 to 2022. Joe Namath also once wore the 12 for the Jets. Since then, the club no longer assigns the shirt number, as is customary for great icons in US sport. But for Rodgers, Namath explained before the switch, he would relinquish it. Rodgers, quite the gentleman, leaves the 12 untouched. He chooses the number 8, which he already wore in college.
"It doesn't look good"
The Jets' "we're back" feeling implodes when Rodgers has to retreat ten yards after his first snap against the Buffalo Bills, is pulled off his feet and leaves the field with a limp. Despite the shock, the Jets, led by backup quarterback Zach Wilson, win the opener. "It doesn't look good," says coach Robert Saleh after the game. He is right. Rodgers suffers a torn Achilles tendon and the season is over.
In the weeks that followed, the absence of the star quarterback due to injury led to all kinds of problems. A number of trade and comeback rumors arise in view of the gaping hole behind the Jets' O-line. In the meantime, even Colin Kaepernick is being offered as a new signing. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback was the first player not to stand for the US anthem in protest against police violence and racism.
He became the face of the fight against structural racism worldwide, with Amnesty International, among others, honoring him. However, he no longer plays football after 2016. Not even with the Jets. In the background, Rodgers is restructuring his contract, foregoing money so that the Jets can bring in better players.
How the Jets are playing for Rodgers' comeback
This Sunday, the Jets face the Buffalo Bills again, this time with Zach Wilson as their starting quarterback. Still. After the shock in the opening game, Rodgers speaks of his "broken heart" on Instagram, but also emphasizes: "The night is darkest before the dawn. And I will get up one more time."
The alarm clock could ring as early as mid-December, NBC reported on Monday. Aaron Rodgers himself is said to have told reporter Melissa Stark his goal. There were already signs of the medical miracle on Oct. 15, when Rodgers casually threw a few balls before the Jets' game against the Eagles, without crutches, support shoes or other aids. However, the Jets themselves could still stand in the way of a "resurrection".
The return in record time is made possible by the Speedbridge technique, which, like such an early comeback itself, is not without risk. A kind of bridge made of plastic guides the load past the torn part of the tendon. However, the technique is still relatively new and there is hardly any experience.
Two, one, risk
In order for this risk to be worthwhile, the Jets should still have playoff chances at the time of Rodgers' return. After all, the Jets didn't completely fall apart after the worst-case scenario in the first game. The bitter triumph was followed by three defeats, then three wins, and finally two more losses. This makes a record of four wins and five defeats and participation in the play-offs not impossible, but extremely complicated. Because only fourteen teams play there, seven from each of the two conferences: the AFC and the NFC. The Houston Texans (five wins, four defeats) occupy the last of the coveted play-off places in the AFC. The Jets are currently in 13th place - but only one win away from Houston.
For the second time this season, a game against the Bills will be crucial for the Jets. The team led by quarterback Josh Allen is in surprisingly poor form this NFL season. After their latest and fifth defeat, the Bills have sacked their offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and currently rank 11th in the AFC.
If New York wins in Buffalo, Aaron Rodgers, the fans and the franchise can continue to hope. Because a medical miracle could be followed by a sporting one. And should Aaron Rodgers actually lead the Jets to the Super Bowl, they might even name a real bridge after him in New York.
The San Francisco 49ers, who have always been a formidable rival for the New York Jets in the NFL, will likely watch the Jets' progress with interest. With Aaron Rodgers now leading their team, the Jets have added a new chapter to their storied history.
In the heart of New York City, the MetLife Stadium serves as the home field for the New York Jets. This iconic stadium has hosted numerous NFL games, including those featuring the Jets and their new star quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.
Source: www.ntv.de
