The man, the myth, the end? Known to football fans nationwide, Aaron Rodgers is widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. His 18-year tenure in Green Bay was filled with highs and a few lows, but the highs would almost always surpass the menial lows. A few injuries here and there and changes in coaching staff, could not stop Rodgers from not only dominating his division, but also the entire league. He won 4 NFL MVPS during this time, the second most out of any player in history, and he also led his team to the Promise Land, earning a Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XLV. After a season filled with controversy and discrepancies, Rodgers decided to hang up his boots and walk out of Green Bay. Is this it for one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time? Many pondered this question with great thought, yet a few months later NFL fans were shocked by the news that Aaron Rodgers had been traded to the New York Jets. A team filled with highs and lows, with the lows far surpassing the staggeringly low amount of highs. Could Aaron Rodgers be the one to finally get this team back to proper form and possibly even another Super Bowl? This question was about to be answered in the biggest season in Jets history. 

Opening night, September 11, 2023, all of America was about to witness the debut of Aaron Rodgers in the green and white. With the spotlight on him and millions watching around the world, Aaron Rodgers took his team to lengths they’ve never seen before and surpassed every expectation bestowed upon them. At least, that is what everyone would have liked to see happen. Only 4 snaps into the game, Rodgers tore his Achilles, leaving him out for the year. Every Jets fan in the stadium was left with shock, awe, and despair. The man, the hero, who was supposed to be the saving grace for this aching franchise had been knocked down in the blink of an eye. A wave of uncertainty filled the rest of the season, but Jets fans still held out hope that their all-star defense could fill the void and Zach Wilson, the third-year quarterback taken with the No. 2 pick, would finally turn things around. There were moments of levity, with the team scoring a big win against the previously undefeated Philadelphia Eagles, but the adversity was too much to overcome and the Jets’ season ended in disappointment. No playoff berth, no MVP season, no Super Bowl, no Rodgers.

So now what? Rodgers will return for his second season with the Jets in 2024. The once-high expectations from the previous season have now been filled with uncertainty and skepticism. Can Rodgers get back to form after such a devastating injury? Is Rodgers able to fix all of the problems with this team? Only time will tell, but if anything is certain, this Jets team will fight to the end, and Rodgers will lead at the front lines. Not once did they ever give up, even with the greatest of challenges. Aaron Rodgers will be coming back with a vengeance and will either sink under the pressure of the expectations and adversity or will swim in his own greatness and bring this team out from the trenches into glory. Either way, Aaron Rodgers has cemented himself as one of the greatest of all time and still manages to make his story more intriguing as time goes on. This is not the end of the storybook career of Aaron Rodgers, it’s just another chapter waiting to be written.