EXCLUSIVE: Former Falcons HC has high expectations from Aaron Rodgers in 2023 -”Still has a lot in his tank”
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets are looking to become Super Bowl contenders this season after acquiring him from the Green Bay Packers.
The Jets finished the 2022-2023 season 7-10 but had an overall good roster with bad quarterback play for most of the season. With Rodgers, the team is hopeful it will make the post-season in 2023.
Former Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith spoke in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda and talked about the high expectations he has for Aaron Rodgers in New York this upcoming season:
“There absolutely is and I think everybody's going to get an opportunity to see that because of the number of times they're going to be on national TV. It's going to put the Jets in a place that they haven't been in a long long time."
He continued:
"They're gonna get a lot of national exposure and I'm sure everybody's hoping to see one or two things that they're going to, they're going to thrive with the new quarterback or they're going to be like Brett Favre when he came to the Jets."
Smith then added:
"I don't think that's going to happen. I think that Aaron Rodgers still has a lot in his tank and they're doing a whole lot of moves and have already done it to put people around him that he's familiar with. So I don't think it's going to be a big problem for the Jets.”
Much like when they acquired Brett Farve in 2008, who was at the tail end of his career at the age of 38, Rodgers, is also entering his 19th season in the league is 38 years old.
Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets will have a tough task making the playoffs in 2023
It's tough to go from worst to first in your division, but it can be done. The Jacksonville Jaguars won the AFC South this past season after finishing in last place in 2021.
The New York Jets, however, aren't in the AFC South, they're in the AFC East, which is one of the best divisions in all of football. They finished 37-30 as a division and had two playoff teams the Buffalo Bills (13-3) and the Miami Dolphins (9-8.)
The Patriots finished ahead of the Jets last season with an 8-9 record, and you can never count out a Patriots team coached by Bill Belichick.
It will be tough for the Jets to win the division/make the playoffs but with new additions such as Aaron Rodgers, Allen Lazard, Mecole Hardman, Randall Cobb, Thomas Morstead, and OC Nathaniel Hackett, they will have a better shot at chasing a Super Bowl.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Mike Smith, the Ballfather Podcast, and H/T Sportskeeda