Sauce Gardner, Breece Hall among Jets players recruiting Aaron Rodgers to New York
A contingent of Jets officials reportedly flew to California to meet with Aaron Rodgers in person Tuesday, but they are not the only members of the organization recruiting the Packers quarterback.
Several current Jets players, including 2022 Defensive Rookie of the Year Sauce Gardner and fellow young stars Breece Hall and Quinnen Williams, have posted on Twitter and Instagram, urging the four-time MVP to come join them in New York.
Gardner jokingly promised that if Rodgers joined the Jets, he would avoid intercepting him in practice and would even burn the cheesehead he infamously stole when the Jets beat Rodgers' Packers at Lambeau Field last season.
[Sauce Gardner dons Cheesehead after Jets defeat Packers at Lambeau]
Jets tight end C.J. Uzomah expressed doubt that Gardner would hold to his first promise, but did support torching the cheesehead.
Gardner, meanwhile, hinted that he might not wait for a Rodgers decision to burn the cheesehead.
Williams took a different approach, attempting to appeal to Rodgers' love of golf.
[Reports: Jets open trade talks with Aaron Rodgers, Packers]
Hall, the Jets running back who appeared to be on his way to Offensive Rookie of the Year honors before tearing his ACL in October, tweeted that he was "manifesting" Rodgers joining his team. Offensive lineman Mekhi Becton also tweeted a GIF at the quarterback.
Tight end Tyler Conklin and cornerback Justin Hardee tried to get Rodgers dreaming of bringing a Super Bowl back to New York.
Jets owner Woody Johnson, general manager Joe Douglas, head coach Robert Saleh and newly-hired offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett were all part of the group that met with Rodgers in California on Tuesday, according to the New York Post. However, the Jets are reportedly still waiting for Rodgers to decide whether he will continue playing in the NFL next season and no trade appears imminent.
Rodgers won two of his MVPs in 2020 and 2021 with Hackett as his offensive coordinator in Green Bay. He remained complimentary of Hackett, even as the coach struggled in his first and only season leading the Broncos.
The Jets have publicly stated that they want to add a veteran quarterback to the roster after former first-round draft pick Zach Wilson struggled mightily last season and reportedly lost respect in the team's locker room, which helped lead to his benching.
Top stories from FOX Sports:
- Aaron Rodgers’ most likely landing spots after Derek Carr domino falls
- Pete Carroll responds to Sauce Gardner's pre-draft meeting comments
- Rams offseason preview: Can a healthy Matthew Stafford accelerate Sean McVay’s remodel?
- Saquon Barkley might soon become a luxury Giants can't afford
- Patriots have a big free-agent budget. How much will Bill Belichick invest?
- 2023 NFL Draft prospect rankings: 64 best available players
- Texas spring storylines: Can Arch Manning win Longhorns’ QB battle?
- Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes: Ranking every MLB team's chances to sign him
- Pau Gasol thinking of Kobe Bryant ahead of Lakers honor: ‘He elevated me.’
- NASCAR power rankings: Ross Chastain rises to top spot after Las Vegas
- College basketball tiers: Big 12, Big 10 headline best conference tournaments
- Early bettors backing Justin Fields to win NFL MVP award in 2023-24