New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has retained his status in the NFL Top 100 , despite playing just four snaps last season.
The NFL has begun announcing the Top 100 players of 2024, and Rodgers was named No. 92 which instantly led to a mass debate on social media. Rodgers fell significantly in the rankings after his No. 51 selection for 2023 but still managed to beat Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence who was picked at No. 94.
As a four-time MVP, Super Bowl champion - and one of the best players in NFL history - some fans saw the No. 92 ranking as disrespectful. However, others argued that the list should be based solely on performances through the 2023 season, therefore questioning his ranking as Rodgers played just four snaps .
Rodgers' blockbuster trade to the Jets after leaving the Green Bay Packers was the tale of the 2023 offseason, with many predicting that the legendary quarterback would end the organization's brutal playoff drought which dates back to 2010. Optimism and anticipation were instantly wiped away when Rodgers cruelly suffered a torn Achilles in Week 1 and is still yet to complete a pass for the Jets.
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His debut was meant to be a defining moment in Jets franchise history, but it became memorable for the wrong reasons. On Rodgers' opening drive as a Jet, he suffered an injury, headed to the locker room, and didn't return for the remainder of the season.
The Jets struggled without the man they'd centered the entire offseason around and limped through the year with Zach Wilson, Tim Boyle, and Trevor Siemian rotating at quarterback. Rodgers set his focus on achieving an impossible return and planned to fully recover from his Achilles injury by December.
Rodgers was out throwing balls on the field before games and his movement improved with each week, but with the Jets out of playoff contention, it wasn't a risk worth taking for the player or franchise. Rodgers was still heavily involved, joining head coach Robert Saleh on the sidelines and dedicating a lot of time to the locker room.
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His impact led to his teammates voting for him as the winner of the Jets’ Dennis Byrd Most Inspirational award, with star wide receiver Garrett Wilson detailing his respect for the veteran. "It’s just the effect that he’s had on this locker room in such a short time is why I think you see him win that award and all the guys here voted for him," Wilson said. "It says a lot about him and how he’s approached becoming a Jet and being here with us, whether he’s on the field or not."
The 2023 season didn't go to plan, but 2024 offers new hope and a sense of unfinished business for Rodgers and the Jets.
The atmosphere inside MetLife Stadium for Rodgers' debut was unique but after waiting another 12 months to see the quarterback return, the Jets fans will be behind No. 8 more than ever. The stage is set for a fairytale story, and poetically Rodgers will face his former NFC rivals in Week 1 as the Jets take on the San Francisco 49ers.
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