Aaron Rodgers is a ‘loser’ after huge 2023 offseason change, NFL journo claims
Aaron Rodgers' trade to the New York Jets has been one of the biggest storylines of the entire 2023 NFL offseason. The move changes the outlook and expectations for his new team, as well as his old one, the Green Bay Packers. In theory, the four-time NFL MVP makes the Jets legitimate Super Bowl contenders, while also lowering the championship aspirations for the Packers this year.
In a recent article in The Athletic, analysis was given for several moves that happened ahead of the 2023 NFL season. As a part of the breakdown, winners and losers were named for the major trade between the Packers and Jets. Interestingly, Aaron Rodgers was named as the biggest "loser" for all involved in the deal.
Here's how The Athletic's Mike Jones broke it down:
"He got what he wanted in his exit from Green Bay and reunion with New York Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, his former Packers OC. He also gains a more potent cast of wide receivers. But in leaving the NFC for the AFC, he now has a significantly tougher road to the Super Bowl.
"If beating Jared Goff and the Lions was too tall a task in 2022, what makes Rodgers think he can win a shootout with Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert, Trevor Lawrence, Deshaun Watson and Tua Tagovailoa?
"After generally rolling through the NFC North annually, Rodgers will learn that winning a first-round AFC playoff game will be much more challenging — and that’s if Rodgers and the Jets even get out of the AFC East, where the Bills, Patriots and Dolphins all boast tough defenses."
Probably the biggest knock on Aaron Rodgers' legacy to this point of his career is his lack of postseason success. Specifically, he has failed in his pursuit of multiple Super Bowl rings so far. While he won one ring with the Packers, he hasn't even won a conference championship in more than a decade.
The Packers were infamously defeated by the Detroit Lions in the final week of the 2022 regular season, eliminating them from appearing in the NFL Playoffs. As the article pointed out, the AFC this year is much more stacked and difficult to navigate than the NFC. This will, in theory, make his chances of winning a ring this year exponentially more challenging.
What are Aaron Rodgers' odds of winning a Super Bowl ring with the Jets in 2023?
History is not on their side as Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets each seek a Super Bowl ring in 2023 that has evaded them for many years. Rodgers last won a ring 13 years ago in the 2010 NFL season, while the Jets haven't been there since they won Super Bowl III following the 1968 NFL season.
Despite the extensive history of failure, the Jets have been given a relatively good chance of overcoming it this year. They currently have +1600 odds to win a ring, making them the seventh-favorites by the oddsmakers. They also have the fourth-best odds in the AFC, trailing only the Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills.