Aaron Rodgers, the New York Jets’ quarterback, recently had a pretty honest conversation with reporters about how tough this year’s training camp has been.
At 40 years old and fresh off a season-ending Achilles injury, Rodgers described this camp as the hardest he’s gone through “in the last seven or eight years” of his long career.
Rodgers, who’s been in the NFL for 19 years, knew what he was getting into when head coach Robert Saleh warned him that this summer would be rough. And Saleh wasn’t kidding.
The Jets have been putting in about 300 more practice reps than they did by this time last year, showing just how serious the team is about being ready for the season, even with concerns about Rodgers’ age and injury recovery.
Talking about the extra reps, Rodgers said, “It feels like it. But it’s good. I think it’s gonna allow us to maybe be a little more ready. We’ve been fortunate with injuries. We haven’t had a ton of injuries so far, so I like it. It’s been great. You talk to the older guys, not a lot of complaints from any of those guys. Young guys don’t know any better.”
Given Rodgers’ absence from June’s mandatory minicamp, this training camp is especially important for him.
Head coach Saleh said the absence was unexcused but was for something “very important” to Rodgers.
Despite missing that, Rodgers has thrown himself into the tough training, showing he’s ready to take on the season.
Rodgers joined the Jets after an 18-season run with the Green Bay Packers. Unfortunately, his debut with the Jets was cut short by an Achilles injury after just four snaps.
As he works on his recovery, Rodgers is feeling positive, saying, “I feel really good. It’s just about the mental part. These practices have been nice the last couple of days. Feel what it’s like to be out there, to be moving around, to not be thinking about it and see how I respond the next day. This is the last part.”
Even though it’s been tough, Rodgers likes how Saleh pushes the team. Under pressure to deliver results after an 18-33 record over three seasons, Saleh has instilled a businesslike atmosphere within the team.
The Jets, who have the NFL’s longest active playoff drought at 13 years, are operating with a sense of urgency. They are creating a “now or never” mentality within the organization, which is exactly what they need to make it to the playoffs.
Saleh recently declared Rodgers ready for the regular season, indicating that Rodgers may not participate in the final preseason game against the New York Giants.
Saleh said, “I felt like he was where we needed him when he first walked in. His arm is 30. You guys see him every day. His arm is still 30. … He’s still got plenty of mobility. I think he’s absolutely ready.”
Rodgers seems confident, too, although he knows he still needs to get that first hit out of the way. “I feel good about where I am with my body and what I’ve put together,” he said.
“I feel like I’ve done different things throughout camp as far as the rollouts, roll out and pulling up, getting out of the pocket and making plays, going back across my body, pump-faking and extending plays and getting some yards. I feel like I’ve done a lot.”
Interestingly, Rodgers got a break on Tuesday, a decision Saleh made to keep him fresh for a tough joint practice with the Giants.
This break came after a rough Monday practice in which Rodgers didn’t have his best day, where he completed just 11 of 27 passes and threw an interception.
Even though it was a tough day, Rodgers found it valuable, saying it was the kind of practice that taught the team important lessons.
Rodgers’ determination to tackle the strict demands of the Jets’ training camp shows his commitment—not just to the team but also to his recovery.
Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett praised Rodgers for staying in shape and working hard on his recovery, knowing that while Rodgers might have “lost a little bit of the speed he used to have,” his overall performance is still impressive.
As the Jets finish their preseason and get ready to kick off the season against the San Francisco 49ers, we’ll have to wait and see how this intense training camp pays off.
For now, Rodgers and the Jets are focused on being physically and mentally ready for the challenges ahead.