Back in February, Aaron Rodgers claimed, new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn made a confession to his 41-year-old quarterback: he couldn’t keep him around because he was worried Rodgers would undermine his new regime.
It turns out he was right. On Sunday, Rodgers really did prove a corrosive influence on the rebuild unfolding at 1 Jets Drive. Just not in the way anyone anticipated.
Hands up who saw this coming? Hands up anyone who predicted that after, two miserable seasons with the Jets, Rodgers really would return with the Steelers and roll back the years.
And hands up those who expected Justin Fields, saddled with the burden of leading New York into yet another new era, would begin against his old team with a performance of such poise and control and command. Time and again on Sunday, the Jets offense bailed out the defense. Yes, you are reading that correctly.
Storylines dripped out of every pore of this matchup as soon as it was announced for Week 1. Rodgers back at the Jets, Fields back up against the Steelers – the headlines wrote themselves. Except perhaps this one. But who’s complaining?
What drama it was. What fun, too. And after four chaotic quarters, it came down to one kick. With the Jets leading 32-31 and barely a minute on the clock, Rodgers handed over responsibility to Chris Boswell. From 60 yards, he nailed it.
Aaron Rodgers enjoyed a brilliant debut for the Pittsburgh Steelers against the New York Jets
The 41-year-old quarterback threw for four touchdowns against his former team at MetLifew
Rodgers was booed as he returned to New Jersey after two miserable season with the Jets
Rodgers – who was booed all afternoon – pumped his first and whipped up the visiting crowd. Then he stepped on to field one more time to take a knee and seal a stunning victory. It ended 34-32.
The 41-year-old ended the afternoon with four touchdown passes and 244 yards, while Fields rushed for two scores and threw for another. He didn’t deserve to be on the losing team. What a difference two years makes.
Emotion and electricity and anticipation spilled down from the stands of this stadium in 2023, when Rodgers emerged under a cloud of thick smoke, the Stars and Stripes in his right hand.
It was the 22nd anniversary of September 11 and it was the start of a new era in New York. On Sunday, the 41-year-old trotted out of the opposite tunnel. And this time, boos rained down from above. This time, a sea of empty seats greeted Fields as he made his entrance to MetLife.
That was down to travel chaos, rather than apathy. Trains out of New York’s Penn Station had been delayed and disrupted all morning. But still it felt like a fitting illustration of all that has changed.
Thousands more Jets fans had arrived in time to abuse Rodgers before his first drive. How they enjoyed the sight of the quarterback being sacked at the first opportunity. Alas, this opening drive lasted longer than four snaps. But not quite as long as Rodgers’ last face-to-face encounter with Glenn.
Back in February, the quarterback flew all the way from California for a meeting with the new Jets hierarchy. It lasted just 15 minutes. Rodgers was told that after two miserable seasons, New York was moving in a new direction. Before long Fields had arrived on a $40m contract.
Justin Fields ended up on the losing team despite a brilliant first game for the Jets
Two years ago, in his New York Jets debut, Rodgers suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon
It took Rodgers another four months to confirm he was playing on. And by the time he agreed a $13.6m deal with Pittsburgh, he was a husband. Exactly who the 41-year-old has married remains a mystery. Rodgers has kept everything under wraps and that sparked wild conspiracy theories that the marriage was a hoax.
The quarterback hit out at those claims in a furious tirade on ESPN. And, on Sunday, he sent another message to his doubters. On his opening drive, Rodgers marshalled the Steelers 71 yards down the field.
He hit four different receivers, culminating in a 22-yard scoring pass to Ben Skowronek. Rodgers pointed to the Steelers sideline before heading to the end zone to join the celebrations.
Fields hit back almost immediately. The 26-year-old led Pittsburgh to a 4-2 start last season before being replaced by Russell Wilson. And his first major contribution for the Jets was a 33-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson. And then early in the second quarter, Braelon Allen forced his way over from eight yards out. After a second field goal from Nick Folk, the Jets lead was nine.
But then came more Rodgers magic. Over nine plays and 65 yards, the quarterback led Pittsburgh back to the end zone. There were a couple of vintage passes to Calvin Austin, including one back-shoulder ball that took the Steelers to the three-yard line. From there, Jonnu Smith scored in the corner.
By half-time, both offenses were firing and tempers had begun to flare. The game was so brilliantly poised. We had been spoiled, really. So perhaps it was inevitable that the second half would begin with three consecutive punts.
Thankfully, though, that proved only a brief pause in the chaos. First, Fields cemented the Jets’ advantage with a rushing touchdown before Rodgers reeled his old team back in once more. After another steady drive, the quarterback found Jaylen Warren whose touchdown brought the Steelers back within touching distance.
Something was going to have to break this tit-for-tat and it arrived a few seconds later. As Xavier Gipson returned kickoff, Kenneth Gainwell forced a fumble. Pittsburgh recovered the ball, Rodgers found Austin and suddenly the visitors had taken control.
But any fears that would be fatal for the Jets were extinguished when Fields fooled everyone inside MetLife with a fake handoff. The quarterback coasted in for his second touchdown of the game.
For the second time, the Jets went for two and for the second time, Glenn’s gamble failed to pay off. How crucial those two points would prove.
