Late Season Pretenders To Superbowl Contenders

It was only a short time later Jets fans would be buzzing again as two standout quarterbacks in Derek Carr and Aaron Rodgers appeared to be available and, on many teams, short list. Shortly after the season ended the Jets met with Derek Carr, only for him to turn around and sign with the New Orleans Saints. That left Jets fans with only one hope. With Aaron Rodgers contemplating retirement, Jets fans spent every waking day dreaming of what a team would look like with the 39 year old former MVP behind center.

After the week twelve win against the Chicago Bears the New York Jets were seven and four and well on their way to making a bid for a playoff spot. Jets fans were jubilant and ready to travel to Minnesota and take on the favored Vikings. A Braxton Berrios dropped touchdown late in that game is all it took to crush Jets fans dreams. The Jets would go on to lose consecutive games to the Bills, Lions, Jaguars, Seahawks, and Dolphins to end the season seven and ten. Looking for a scapegoat, after the season the Jets fired offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.

On February 23, Aaron Rodgers emerged from his dark cave and the unthinkable happened, he requested to meet with the New York Jets. Jets brass including GM Joe Douglas, owner Woody Johnson, and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett got on Woody Johnson’s Private Jet and took off for California. The meeting lasted several hours. There was no word from either side as free agency in the NFL was on hold just waiting for a Rodgers to make a decision. On Wednesday, March 15 it was announced that Aaron Rodgers would be a guest on the Pat McAfee Show. Jets fans tuned in along with over 500,000 live viewers in hopes of hearing that Aaron Rodgers wanted to be a New York Jet. Early on in the interview it sounded like a retirement speech, and then Rodgers uttered the words “it is my intention to play for the Jets,” words that every Jet fan wanted to hear.

It is all sunshine and rainbows in Jets land right now. The Jets are on the verge of acquiring an all-time great who would instantly be the most talented quarterback, in Jets history. It is now up to GM Joe Douglas to finish the trade and surround Rodgers with the weapons necessary to make a serious playoff run, and dare I say a Superbowl run next season. Only time will tell.