Yes, there could be someone famous in the house on Sunday evening.
Not her. Him.
And not him, like Patrick Mahomes. The other him.
The other is him like Aaron Rodgers. The injured Jets quarterback made a strong hint about that possibility during an appearance with Pat McAfee earlier this week. Now ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini adds there’s definitely something to that.
According to Cimini, it depends on whether Rodgers is cleared to fly by doctors, as he underwent surgery to repair his Achilles tendon tear just two weeks ago. If he gets that clearance, he’ll travel across the country for the game.
It can’t hurt the Jets. Rodgers continues to be the most powerful and influential figure in the organization. He towers above everything, especially since he expressed the idea of playing again this season.
Whether he intended it or not, that offhand remark made it even harder for the Jets to make a big move at quarterback. If they were to trade for someone like Kirk Cousins (which is certainly not the case), what would happen if Cousins leads them to the playoffs and Rodgers wants to play?
On the other side of the intense desire to ensure that Rodgers remains happy enough with the Jets to play for them in 2024 (and perhaps 2025, since the proposed season trade to Zach Wilson is probably out of the question), the bushfire that continues to consume him stands the organization. The fans, either unwilling or unable to process the fact that losing Rodgers doesn’t make them Super Bowl contenders, want something/anything other than what they have at quarterback.
Maybe that’s Trevor Siemian. Maybe it will be someone else. Right now, the Jets are just trying to survive one game at a time.
Having Rodgers around could help. He can speak directly to his teammates. They will listen to him. They are still in awe of him. Having him back in the building could be a crucial step in getting things back on track – especially if he can help Wilson tune out the noise and focus on the work that needs to get done.