The anticipation throughout the Tri-state area is finally over, as Aaron Rodgers was traded from the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets on Monday.
He will join a talented team on both sides of the football that includes Defensive Rookie of the Year Sauce Gardner, All-Pro first-team defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson.
In addition, the Jets recently acquired wide receiver Allen Lazard, who had developed into a reliable target for Rodgers in Green Bay.
Fox Sports 1 personality Skip Bayless said on Twitter that as a result, it will be Super Bowl or bust for Rodgers and his new team.
Now the pressure only intensifies on Aaron Rodgers in New York. Super Bowl or bust, Aaron. Can you get immunized against choking?
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) April 24, 2023
On paper, it seems like the Jets have the horses to make a real run at reaching America’s biggest sporting event.
However, beneath the surface, there is some reasonable skepticism.
For one, Rodgers is 39 years of age and is coming off one of his worst statistical seasons ever.
His numbers in 2022 — 3,695 passing yards, 26 passing touchdowns and a 91.1 passer rating — weren’t completely terrible, but they were significantly lower than the numbers he put up in 2020 and 2021 when he won back-to-back league MVP awards.
The other concern is simply how tough the rest of the AFC is.
Are the Jets really better than the Cincinnati Bengals or the reigning world champion Kansas City Chiefs?
In their own division, there are the Buffalo Bills, who were the favorites in the minds of many to win it all when last season started, as well as the improved Miami Dolphins, who now have star veteran cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
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