Back in February, Aaron Rodgers claimed, new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn made a confession to his 41-year-old quarterback: he couldn’t keep him around because he was worried Rodgers would undermine his new regime.
It turns out Glenn was right. On Sunday, Rodgers really did prove a corrosive influence on the rebuild unfolding at 1 Jets Drive. Just not in the way he might have anticipated.
By now, Jets fans have known too much pain and too much heartbreak to let optimism reign. Many would have told you that this was written in the stars.
After two years of misery with Rodgers under center, of course the Steelers quarterback would come back to haunt them. The headline wrote itself. But surely even the most cynical New Yorkers couldn’t have predicted this?
So much for a war of attrition. So much for a low-scoring game between two teams in transition. So much for one quarterback being too old and the other being too burdened by the task of leading New York into yet another new era.
This was absolute chaos. Brilliant, breathless drama, orchestrated by two wonderful performances under center.
Aaron Rodgers enjoyed a brilliant debut for the Pittsburgh Steelers against the New York Jets
The 41-year-old quarterback threw for four touchdowns against his former team at MetLife
Rodgers was booed as he returned to New Jersey after two miserable season with the Jets
He put his hand to his ear as he left the field alongside Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin
Rodgers – back at the Jets, back after teasing retirement – was booed and then sacked on his very first snap. But he picked himself up and then threw four touchdown passes in a vintage display.
Justin Fields, also up against his old team, rushed for two scores and threw for another. Not since 1948 has a quarterback thrown for at least 200 yards and a touchdown, and run for at least 50 yards and two scores, in a season opener.
Fields played with such courage and control. He didn’t deserve to be on the losing team and around the quarterback there were so many other positives for Glenn’s new team. Running back Breece Hall, for instance, was immense. But after four quarters, which swung this way and that, it all came down to a kick.
With the Jets leading 32-31 and barely a minute on the clock, Rodgers handed over responsibility to Chris Boswell. From 60 yards, he nailed it. ‘Our kicker is a serial killer,’ Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said afterwards.
Rodgers – who was abused all afternoon – pumped his fist and whipped up the visiting crowd. Then he stepped on to field one more time to take a knee and seal a stunning victory. It ended 34-32.
‘I was happy to beat everybody associated with the Jets,’ said Rodgers, who cupped his ear as he left the field. ‘It was nice to win, especially hearing some of the cat calls out there and the boo birds.
‘I’m not sensitive about that, I expected that and kind of like that. But there were probably people in the organization that didn’t think I could play anymore. So it was nice to remind those people that I still can.’
Certainly the 41-year-old didn’t have many Sundays like this as a Jet. Electricity and anticipation spilled down from the stands of this stadium two years ago, when Rodgers emerged under a cloud of thick smoke, the Stars and Stripes in his right hand. It was the 22nd anniversary of September 11 and the start of his reign in New York. Four snaps later, Rodgers tore his Achilles and the dye was cast.
Justin Fields ended up on the losing team despite a brilliant first game for the Jets
New Jets coach Aaron Glenn made a losing start after taking over ahead of the 2025 season
On Sunday, the 41-year-old trotted out of the opposite tunnel. And this time, boos rained down from above. This time, a sea of empty seats greeted Fields as he made his entrance to MetLife.
That was down to travel chaos, rather than apathy. Trains out of New York’s Penn Station had been delayed and disrupted all morning. But still it felt like a fitting illustration of all that has changed.
Thousands more Jets fans arrived in time to see Rodgers sacked at the first opportunity. How they enjoyed that. But this debut lasted longer than four snaps. Much longer, too, than Rodgers’ last face-to-face encounter with Glenn.
Back in February, the quarterback flew all the way from California for a meeting with the new Jets hierarchy. It lasted just 15 minutes. Rodgers was told that New York was moving in a new direction and, before long, Fields had arrived on a $40m contract.
It took Rodgers another four months to confirm he was playing on. And by the time he agreed a $13.6m deal with Pittsburgh, he was a husband. Exactly who the 41-year-old has married remains a mystery. Rodgers has kept everything under wraps and that sparked wild conspiracy theories that the marriage was a hoax.
The quarterback hit out at those claims in a furious tirade on ESPN. And, on Sunday, he sent another message to his doubters. On his opening drive, Rodgers marshalled the Steelers 71 yards down the field. He found four different receivers, culminating in a 22-yard scoring pass to Ben Skowronek.
Fields hit back almost immediately. The 26-year-old led Pittsburgh to a 4-2 start last season before being replaced by Russell Wilson. And his first major contribution for the Jets was a 33-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson. Early in the second quarter, Braelon Allen forced his way over from eight yards out and, after a second field goal from Nick Folk, the Jets’ lead was nine.
Fields, also up against his old team, rushed for two scores and threw for another on Sunday
Two years ago, in his New York Jets debut, Rodgers suffered a season-ending Achilles tear
But then came more Rodgers magic. Over nine plays and 65 yards, the quarterback led Pittsburgh back to the end zone.
By half-time, both offenses were firing and tempers had begun to flare. The game was so brilliantly poised. We had been spoiled, really. So perhaps it was inevitable that three consecutive punts would follow.
Thankfully, though, that proved only a brief pause in the chaos. First, Fields cemented the Jets’ advantage with a rushing touchdown before Rodgers reeled his old team in once more. After another steady drive, the quarterback found Jaylen Warren whose touchdown brought the Steelers back within touching distance.
Something was going to have to break this tit-for-tat and it arrived a few seconds later. As Xavier Gipson returned the kickoff, Kenneth Gainwell forced a fumble. Pittsburgh recovered the ball, Rodgers found Austin and suddenly the visitors had taken control.
But any fears that would be fatal for the Jets were extinguished when Fields fooled everyone inside MetLife with a fake handoff. The quarterback coasted in for another touchdown.
Then, for the second time, the Jets went for two. And for the second time, Glenn’s gamble failed. How crucial those two points would prove. How Rodgers enjoyed this.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .