NASHVILLE — Sometimes Aaron Rodgers will simply give a look — Breece Hall calls it a long stare — to let his teammates know they messed up. Sometimes he’ll crack a joke to lighten the mood. Or he’ll display the sort of stoicism that lets everyone know that it’s O.K. to remain calm, even as things aren’t going your way.
Rodgers stood on the sideline most of last season, wearing a headset, watching as the Jets offense often failed to meet the moment. The vibes were off — and vibes can make or break you in a key moment. It can dictate the outcome of a play, of a game, of a season.
“There were some times last year where there were negative vibes going where it felt like ‘here we go again’ or ‘we’re not going to win this one,’” Rodgers said on Sunday. “I just don’t want us to ever get in that spot.”
Maybe it was only one game, in Week 2 against a rebuilding Tennessee Titans team that few expect to contend for the playoffs. But it was meaningful for a team that has far too often crumbled under the weight of those moments, that failed to bounce back when things went wrong. Now they have the man in the middle to reiterate the phrase he made famous a decade ago and keeps coming back around: R-E-L-A-X.
Rodgers walked off the field with a win for the first time since New Year’s Day 2023. (Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA Today)
On Sunday, the Jets started off poorly, again. The offense, and Rodgers, looked sluggish — through three drives, they gained 15 total yards. The defense was struggling up front, again. The Titans jumped ahead 7-0 in the first quarter, then 10-7 in the second. Linebacker C.J. Mosley — a team captain and crucial piece of the defense — left the game with a toe injury in the second quarter and didn’t return. Jermaine Johnson left in the third quarter with what could be a torn Achilles; his season might be over.
The Jets didn’t capitalize on an early forced fumble, when the defense kept points off the board in the red zone by recovering Will Levis’s silly lateral, flipped to an unprepared teammate as he was getting sacked. They didn’t capitalize when Irv Charles blocked a punt in the third quarter either. Calvin Ridley got behind Sauce Gardner for what felt like an impossible 40-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter, tying it up at 17.
Then, Rodgers went to work. Nobody panicked. Nobody stressed. It was just another drive.
“You don’t feel like it’s a tight game,” Hall said. “He brings that sense of calm so it’s not a big deal, it’s just go make the plays you’re supposed to make. If you do, you’ll be in the right spot and get it done.”
Defensive tackle Solomon Thomas felt the sense of tranquility from the sideline. “It was very calming and peaceful knowing you have a Hall of Famer leading you, so there’s no need to panic,” Thomas said. “We trust him with everything in our heart. No matter what happens, we got him.”
Seventy-four yards — including stellar catches from Garrett Wilson (26 yards) and Mike Williams (19 yards) — and a 20-yard Braelon Allen touchdown run later, the Jets were up 24-17. That was the final score of Rodgers’ first start-to-finish win as a Jet.
“These are important games late in the season when you’re trying to get in the playoffs,” Rodgers said. “It was a hot day, short week, very good defense, started off slow. Finding a way to win, that’s what really good teams do. Great teams, when you’re up 14-10, you block a punt, you score a touchdown to go up two scores. We’re not quite there yet but good teams can close out games in tough environments, and we’ll be really thankful for this one down the road.”
As long as Rodgers is the Jets’ quarterback, these won’t look like the Jets of yesteryear.
“A lot of times people freak out and you’ve gotta be a calming force in there,” Rodgers said. “You can see it in their eyes sometimes. I feel like all game we were frustrated but never got down on each other. We were positive even though we were frustrated.”
Positivity amid the frustration, a sentiment fit for the Jets’ first win, one worth celebrating, even if it came at great cost.