Aaron Rodgers seemingly had one foot out the door of the Green Bay Packers organization for at least the last year, and now he has gotten his wish of moving to another team that can win it all, as he was traded to the New York Jets on Monday.
The Jets have an intriguing and attractive young team, and they have the type of strong defense that can take the pressure off him to always be great at age 39.
But Rodgers says there was another factor that made him want to go to the Jets — their hire of Nathaniel Hackett, their new offensive coordinator who was the Packers’ offensive coordinator from 2019 to 2021.
Aaron Rodgers on joining the #Jets: “They smoked us last year, so I knew they had a good team.”
Rodgers later adds: “A big reason I’m here, I’ve got to mention, is Nathaniel Hackett. I love him like a brother.”
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 26, 2023
With Hackett at the helm of their offense, the Packers went to back-to-back NFC Championship Games and reached the Divisional round in 2021, and they had more points and touchdown passes than any other team during the 2020 regular season.
Granted, there is no Davante Adams, the All-Pro first-team wide receiver who was a member of the Packers until last offseason, in New York, but they did bring along Allen Lazard, who played with Rodgers in Green Bay the last five seasons.
Lazard put up 788 yards and six touchdowns in 2022, and he should be a solid No. 2 wideout option behind Garrett Wilson, the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year.
But it will be difficult for the Jets to reach the Super Bowl, let alone win the Vince Lombardi Trophy, because the AFC will be a battle.
But at least now they will have a big name at quarterback and a very competitive squad.
