National Football League

Longtime Aaron Rodgers nemesis says 'league is in trouble' as star QB returns from injury

Published May. 22, 2024 5:27 p.m. ET

Greg Jennings once won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers alongside Aaron Rodgers. But since retiring nearly a decade ago, the former Pro Bowl wide receiver has often criticized his former quarterback, who enters a pivotal 2024 season with the New York Jets as a 40-year-old recovering from a torn Achilles.

Rodgers made it clear he understands the pressure on himself and the Jets when speaking to reporters Wednesday, saying, "If I don't do what I know I'm capable of doing, we're all probably going to be out of here."

That's presumably in reference to head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas, both of whom have staked their jobs on Rodgers' ability to lead a young, talented Jets team deep into the playoffs. Which made it all the more notable when, after hearing Rodgers' statement, Jennings said Tuesday on "The Carton Show" that the rest of the NFL should take notice.

"Listening to Aaron Rodgers say what he said, the league is in trouble," Jennings said. "When he has this mentality, there's no one better. … I know he's 40, I know he's coming off of injury. But when [he has] this mindset, with how great he is — he's one of the smartest quarterbacks, he's going to be a great decision-maker — if his [physical] ability is still there, and he's taking this posture, watch out."

So far, the reviews from Jets OTAs have been that Rodgers indeed still has the physical traits that made him one of the best quarterbacks of his generation and a four-time NFL MVP with the Packers. But to his and Jennings' points, Rodgers seems to believe this is perhaps his last good chance to prove what he can still do on a football field.

The makeup of the 2024 Jets roster, much like its 2023 version, is shaped around Rodgers. Young stars like running back Breece Hall and wide receiver Garrett Wilson are joined by veterans such as wide receiver Mike Williams, offensive linemen John Simpson and Tyron Smith, and Rodgers' former Packers teammates Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb. Saleh's defense has remained one of the best units in the league behind defensive lineman Quinnen Williams and cornerback Sauce Gardner.

But the Jets have still not made the postseason since 2010 (which is also the last time Rodgers led a team to the Super Bowl). The pressure is on both the team and the quarterback to end those droughts — and Jennings, for his part, seems to believe they can.

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