The photographers were lined up on the terrace overlooking the Atlantic Health Jets practice fields where Aaron Rodgers tweaked a calf and limped a bit and was reduced to erstwhile Coach for a Day.
And then when practice ended, the photogs lined up hip to hip and lens to lens in the standing room-only back of the cramped, smallish press room and clicked and flashed away as reporters fired questions at the biggest star the Jets have had since Broadway Joe Namath, unless you choose to count Brett Favre in 2008.
These are the Broadway Jets now.
Prime-time Jets.
And Aaron Rodgers wanted this, maybe even needed this.
“It’s been like a dream month so far,” Rodgers said.
So life begins at 39 for Aaron Rodgers, one fun moment after another, be it at the Garden or driving down Jets Drive or winning friends and influencing people or mentoring Zach Wilson and everyone else on an offense he knows as well as coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. Each have been confirmation that he is where he belongs.
A veritable Lambeau Leap into the New York-New Jersey spotlight.
Aaron Rodgers taking part in warmups during OTA’s on Tuesday.Bill Kostroun/New York Post
“Every day there’s been just a cool moment that reminds me I’m in the right place,” Rodgers said.
He glanced to the back and smiled and muttered “Jesus” with a smile at the sound of a loud flash from one photographer. When my ESPN iPhone ringer inadvertently went off, Rodgers smiled and said: “A lot of faux pas going on. I like that. Is that yours?”
“That’s a good ringer,” he said.
“It was [Pat] McAfee trying to get ahold of me,” I said.
“He’s an ESPN guy now,” Rodgers replied.
Rodgers has single-handedly transformed them into the made-for-television Jets.
“You just look at social media like for the past couple of days, and I’m just like, ‘Damn, I just want to like close my phone’ just because of everything that comes in,” C.J. Uzomah said. “Once this kind of news was announced, everything kind of escalated tenfold for sure, especially with like every time he goes out somewhere, he’s on the Jumbotron. That kind of buzz definitely has been circulating, and then anytime you go out now we’re hearing something about going to the Super Bowl and this and that. It’s outside noise though, right? Everything that we’re focused on is in this building and in that locker room and on the field, so a lot of buzz, but it means nothing until we go out there and prove it.”
By merely showing up for OTAs, Rodgers alleviated the worst fears of Jets fans.
He is all in.
“Obviously there’s high expectations, which is great. That’s the way you want ’em,” Rodgers said. “I’m definitely rejuvenated.”
Aaron Rodgers speaks to the media during Jets OTAs on Tuesday.Bill Kostroun/New York Post
He took time Tuesday to instruct Wilson on some nuance and a day earlier during an offensive-practice lapse, he emphasized the standards of excellence he expects and demands to one and all.
“It’s fun being in a quarterback room with young guys and guys that I love and respect, genuinely want to improve and are eager to learn and listen,” Rodgers said, “[about] an offense that I know really really well.”
He is one of the guys and at the same time a future first-ballot Hall of Famer and quarterback savant.
“I really wanted to be around for at least some of the beginning things to just let them know kinda how I like to do things,” Rodgers said, “some of the code words, some of the little adjustments, some of the ways I see the game, sparking that conversation. … It needs to be a free-flowing conversation between the coaches and the players. It’s important so guys are paying attention and they can know at any point they can get called on to answer a question about something.”
Aaron Rodgers pulls weights during OTAs on Tuesday.AP
If it is surreal for him to see his No. 8 in his locker, and rocking a black Gotham City Jets Football Club shirt, imagine what it is like for the rest of the organization.
“The younger generation spends a lot of time on their phone and not as much time actually interacting with people,” Rodgers said, “so you gotta be able to be more intentional at times with starting conversations up. … That’s part of the role of leadership, part of the role of being the old guy in the room, and I love that. I love getting to know these guys and where they’re from and what makes them tick because that’s how you understand how to push those buttons and the right way to inspire guys.”
He loves how Hackett allows him major input at meetings, loves how Robert Saleh balances accountability and freedom of expression. When he was informed that Saleh had called him, “a little kid in an old man’s body,” Rodgers smiled and asked: “Is that a compliment?”
Well, yes. But the old man’s 39-year-old calf?
“I don’t think it’s too serious,” Rodgers said.
Flight 23 Ascension still on schedule.
Broadway Jets: All Aboard!
