Aaron Rodgers has survived the first two weeks of the 2024 NFL season, but all New York Jets fans were waiting for Thursday night, the team’s first home game, as he will be home for the first time since tearing his Achilles tendon.
Rodgers famously failed to make it through his first series as a Jet last season, tearing his Achilles tendon on the fourth snap he took with his new team against the Buffalo Bills on the MetLife Stadium turf.
So Jets fans flocked to MetLife in East Rutherford, New Jersey, to see what Rodgers had in store for their Week 3 game against their AFC East rival, the New England Patriots – and he did not disappoint.
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New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) spins the ball on his finger while warming up before a game against the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium. (Brad Penner-Images)
Rodgers managed his first series of the game, but the Jets were unable to score. But after the defense forced a three-and-out on the Patriots’ first drive, Rodgers made the most of his quick second chance.
Rodgers led the Jets’ offense 73 yards in eight plays after the Patriots’ punt, taking 4:13 minutes to cap his first touchdown drive with a screen pass to Allen Lazard, his old teammate on the Green Bay Packers, for whom he has already been in top form twice this season.
At the Patriots’ 10-yard line, Rodgers was quick and threw the ball left to Lazard, who was in a one-on-one duel with his defender. As he made his move, the Patriots’ cornerback missed the ball as Lazard’s undershirt was ripped open at the bottom as he fell into the end zone.
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But instead of celebrating alone, Lazard knew exactly how much the touchdown meant to Rodgers and ran to give him the ball.
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) attempts a pass against the New England Patriots in the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. (Brad Penner-Images)
The rest of Rodgers’ Jets teammates ran over and gave him a pat on the helmet in recognition, celebrating the full-circle moment of the first touchdown that football fans at home had been waiting for.
When Rodgers went down on this same turf last year, it was Week 1, and the anticipation for what this Jets team could accomplish was astronomical. After all, they hadn’t made the playoffs in 12 years – the longest drought in American sports.
The Achilles tear not only caused a lot of pain for the organization and its fans, but also raised the thought that Rodgers might be retiring. However, the four-time MVP was not going to quit like that and began working on a comeback for New York.
The Jets are now 1-1 this season with a healthy Rodgers and are coming off a win against the Titans in Tennessee last week.
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) throws in the 1st quarter at MetLife Stadium against the New England Patriots. (Robert Deutsch-Images)
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Jets fans hope Rodgers maintains this status for the rest of the season so he can score more of those touchdowns in upcoming home games.
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