What the Aaron Rodgers Injury Means for the Jets

The perfect scene is set for Aaron Rodgers in his first game with the New York Jets. It’s prime time on Monday Night Football broadcasted everywhere on ESPN. Rodgers runs out of the tunnel carrying the American flag while the home crowd erupts.

The game starts with the opposing Buffalo Bills getting the ball first. Rodgers then steps on the field after the defense forces Buffalo to punt. Rodgers’ first few plays are shaky. Then he gets hit and rolled on his fourth play. He is slow to get up and then sits back on the ground and rolls on his back like a pillbug. The crowd and head coach Robert Sallah are silent and still.

Aaron Rodgers walks off the field and after some time limps back to the locker room. That could have been the last time that Jets fans or anyone sees Aaron Rodgers play an NFL snap. He tore his achilles and is out for the season. He’s also 39-years-old.

What Do the Jets Do from Here?

So now, getting back to the present, where do the Jets go from here? They were just seen as Super Bowl contenders and at a minimum had high hopes of making the playoffs. All of a sudden Zach Wilson is the starting quarterback again. A guy who was benched last year for poor performance and a guy who barely threw the ball downfield in a close game after replacing Rodgers.

The best case scenario for Zach Wilson is that he uses this week to get more comfortable and they unleash him a bit more for week two against the Cowboys and they upset them in Dallas. If that doesn’t happen and if Wilson really struggles, the Jets could bring in a new quarterback.

A New Quarterback in New York?

Well, there obviously will be a new quarterback next week, Zach Wilson. Could the Jets sign a veteran to try to bring this team to the playoffs if they think Wilson can’t do it?

It seems like a no-brainer move and some guys they could bring in are big names. The first and most appealing is Tom Brady. Brady played at a high level just last year and if he is ready he could easily take this team to the playoffs if not further.

A more realistic player could be Cam Newton who may fit nicely with a Jets team that is heavy on the run. Another is a veteran like Matt Ryan who still was a decent quarterback just last season.

Questions will be circling around the Jets quarterback situation until Zach Wilson proves he can win or they make a new signing.

By Jack Stradley, I’m a sports writer always looking for a gripping story and a hot take.