The esteemed graybeard New York Jets pilot wants all of New York to board his flight.
“I had a fun experience right before I left town. I was in downtown Manhattan, just walking on the street, as I enjoy doing,” Aaron Rodgers said on Day 1 of his first Jets training camp. “It’s fun being in a big city and just feel the energy of the city, and I had a guy who’s driving stopped and rolled his window down, yelled something at me. … I had a guy on a stoop say something to me. I had a guy on the street like double-take, triple-take and then stopped me and asked for a picture.
“I think it’s exciting for everybody involved. Loved seeing more Jet stuff out there when I���m walking around and …
“We want everybody to jump on the wagon now.”
To the Jets, he is predominantly future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
He is also Coach Aaron Rodgers because this is essentially his offense, and who better to help offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett teach it?
He is Good Guy Aaron Rodgers. Our Guy Aaron Rodgers.
Unlike one-and-done Brett Favre 15 years ago, Rodgers is convinced more than ever this is the right town and the right team for him, after trading in 1265 Lombardi Avenue for One Jets Drive.
And after listening to him, I will not be surprised should the “I love New York” song beat in his heart for more than just this season as long as he stays healthy … or decides to ride off into the sunset should he truly be the Jets’ savior.
“There’s a great feel to this team of guys who are young and super talented on their first contract, many of them,” Rodgers said. “When you have so many great players on rookie deals, it’s pretty exciting knowing you can do something, you got a good window. … It’s not just a one-year thing where you can be competitive, which is fun.”
For so long, the Jets have only been able to hope to win.
Rodgers allows them to expect to win.
“I’m not gonna beat around the bush — we want to win a Super Bowl,” Garrett Wilson said. “You don’t make moves in the offseason like we did unleswhat does it says you’re trying to get there. If you want to go get it, talk about it.”
It only seems as if Joe Namath were the last Jets quarterback who could walk the talk.
“An old coach of mine said our greatest difficulty is gonna be handling success,” Rodgers said, “and I think that’ll be true this year for us.”
While backup QB Tim Boyle was operating in the red zone, Rodgers could be seen gesticulating and speaking for several minutes to Wilson, who was all ears.
“I do know that being an older player on the team, that’s part of the responsibility is to teach a little bit more,” Rodgers said.
He knows that he cannot afford to be the somewhat more impatient quarterback receiver Allen Lazard recalls from his early days in Green Bay.
“I would say maybe earlier in my career I was a little more easily angered, and I feel like I’m a little less triggered as I’ve gotten older,” Rodgers said, and smiled.
Of course, that hardly means that Rodgers will accept slackers.
“The repeat mistakes are the ones that give you a little bit of pause,” he said.
And: “I don’t like wasting reps.”
It is easy for Lazard to tell how hungry and motivated Rodgers is to win his second Super Bowl championship and cement his legacy.
“I’m seeing how much he cares for these guys and how much he really just wants to really put the icing on the cake as far as his career and everything,” Lazard said.
The Jets moved heaven and earth for Rodgers so he could do for them what Tom Brady did for the Buccaneers when he left the Patriots — make everyone around him better, raise the standard and win it all.
Rodgers couldn’t resist volunteering how he got to eavesdrop on a conversation among some of the Jets defensive linemen that served as an example of why he is feeling forever young.
“The conversation they’re having is one of the most ridiculous conversations I’ve ever heard,” Rodgers said, and smiled.
Life begins at 39, apparently. Even with gray whiskers on your chin.
“Every day I’ve been waking up since I’ve been here, it’s just been exciting to come down the driveway here and come in the facility ’cause everything’s new and exciting,” Rodgers said. “You don’t know what conversation you’re gonna eavesdrop on, or who you’re gonna meet for the first time walking down the halls or seeing a Nick Mangold or another famous Jet hanging out.
“There’s a lot of fun things that have come along with this time in my life, and I’m just enjoying every moment.”
The feeling is mutual.
