For Aaron Rodgers, this is the beginning of the end

The next move is obvious. Privately, the quarterback will pine for Davante Adams. Publicly, he’ll drop aw-shucks hints. When asked about reuniting with his former Packers teammate, he’ll defer to people with more power. Maybe another playful sitdown interview is in order ahead of the New York Jets’ MNF game this week. But anyone paying attention knows who pulls the strings. It’s Aaron Rodgers himself.

That’s been the case since these New York Jets begged and pleaded him to be their savior, since they delivered pals Nate Hackett, Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb on a silver platter. Adams would supply the Jets a temporary dopamine hit. The tabloids will be optimistic for a day or two. But we’ve now seen this creaky (and cranky) version of Rodgers play five full games. More than enough of a sample size to determine how a 40-year-old quarterback off a torn Achilles in 2023 and a bland performance in 2022 can keep pace in today’s NFL. The answer is not pretty. The Aaron Rodgers mythologized in the mainstream has been gone for a long time.

Fact overwhelmed fiction in the Jets’ 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London. Rodgers averaging a meager 4.5 yards per attempt, threw three interceptions and easily could’ve thrown two or three more. His vision’s fading. His legs are Jell-O. His arm will still make media minions faint from time to time. But it’s over. Turns out, this era isn’t that much different than any other for the Jets. As constructed, this is a team that’ll need to win in spite of their quarterback.

Not exactly the plan when Woody Johnson, Joe Douglas, Robert Saleh and Hackett all flew to Cali to woo the four-time MVP. Better yet, let’s put the state of the affairs in terms this connoisseur of 90s hoops would appreciate. Throwing missiles at Lambeau Field, one decade ago, Rodgers was essentially Karl Malone with the Utah Jazz. He won MVPs. He put up Hall-of-Fame numbers. He was a footnote in contrast to the all-time great of his era. Now? We’re witnessing the Malone who averaged 13.2 points per game and labored up and down the court with the Los Angeles Lakers at the same age: 40.

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