Aaron Rodgers believes his budding chemistry with Garrett Wilson can transpire into something "special" after he led the New York Jets to victory on Thursday.

After suffering a ruptured Achilles at the start of last season, Rodgers orchestrated a commanding 24-3 triumph over the New England Patriots in his first home start since the injury.

The 40-year-old ended the contest at MetLife Stadium with an impressive stat line of 27 completions on 35 attempts, yielding 281 yards and two touchdowns, one of which went to Wilson in the third quarter.

Rodgers' back-shoulder throw was perfectly delivered into the hands of Wilson, whose game had been subdued until then.

And speaking after the game, Rodgers was excited about what the future may bring for his improving relationship with the 24-year-old wide receiver, who has already racked up 15 catches this season.

"Once five (Wilson) and I get on that same page, it's going to be special," Rodgers said. 

Rodgers didn't miss the chance to address the loyal Jets fanbase either, acknowledging their long-suffering endurance after last season's disappointment. 

A 2023 campaign they entered with Super Bowl aspirations finished at 7-10 for the second consecutive season, and failed to improve on their record during 2022.

It was also the Jets' fourth consecutive season with at least 10 losses, but Rodgers spoke about his eagerness to transform their fortunes in New York after they improved to 2-1 this time around.

"It felt great to be able to play an entire game in front of our amazing fans. I feel like we started faster than we have and we were way more efficient," Rodgers said. 

"Had a lot of guys involved. A lot of guys made a lot of plays. Feel like the line did a nice job up front. We had to finish drives, and we did a good job of that.

"We're trying to change this whole attitude around here. We're trying to build something special around here, get these fans to believe in us.

"They've been tortured for a long time. Last year was obviously a tough year, but it's good to be back, good to be healthy.

"It's great to be a Jet, great to have nights like this, and even better to have a weekend off!"

Aaron Rodgers says his first win with the New York Jets has been "a long time coming" after their comeback victory over the Tennessee Titans.

The 40-year-old’s first season in New York ended in the fourth snap of the first game as he tore his left Achilles tendon.

Returning to action in 2024, he began the year with a 32-19 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday, but finally managed to get off the mark with the Jets on Sunday as they beat the Titans 24-17.

Rodgers threw for 176 yards and two touchdowns, with one of those to 20-year-old Braelon Allen, making it a score between the NFL's oldest and youngest players.

And the quarterback was pleased to avoid the first 0-2 of his 20-year career.

"It was great. It was a long time coming," he said.

"These are kind of the games you look back on late in the season, and you're thankful you won these, because if we want to be a great team, we have to win in these type of environments against a team like that."

The Jets made a slow start to the game but rallied in the third quarter to take the lead, only to be pegged back at 17-17 going into the fourth.

However, Allen once again found his way to the end zone after a 20-yard run to make sure the Jets would be heading home with the win.

Rodgers admitted he was not happy with the first-half performance, but credited the team for staying patient to get it over the line.

"A lot of times people freak out," Rodgers added. "You have to be a calming force in there.

"I felt like the whole game we were frustrated at times, but we never got on each other. I was frustrated not getting [Garrett Wilson] balls. Didn't run the ball very well the first 2 1/2 quarters.

"We stayed confident. The defense came up with some really big plays to keep it a one-score game."

The Jets are back in action on Thursday against the New England Patriots. 

Mike Pennel expects Aaron Rodgers to be "back with a vengeance" this season but struggles to split the 40-year-old from Patrick Mahomes, having played with both quarterbacks. 

Rodgers joined the New York Jets from the Green Bay Packers in a blockbuster trade last year, only to rupture his Achilles in Week 1 and miss the remainder of the 2023 season.

With Rodgers now fully fit, the Jets are expected to be a major force in the AFC when the 2024 campaign gets under way this week, as they look to halt a miserable run of eight losing seasons in a row.

Kansas City Chiefs tackle Pennel spent three years alongside Rodgers in Green Bay, playing 37 games through the 2014, 2015 and 2016 seasons.

Asked if he feels Rodgers has something to prove this year, he told Stats Perform: "Absolutely. I think that's why Aaron still does it. He's a highly competitive person as well. 

"He wanted to succeed and with how the Jets were set up last year, it was very, very, very unfortunate how the season began and turned out because they were going to be a formidable team in the AFC. 

"I know he's going to come back with a vengeance and he's prepared himself to do so. He has a lot in the tank. 

"He learned from [former Packers and Jets quarterback] Brett Favre. So we've at least got about five more years of Rodgers, right?"

Pennel has plenty of experience of playing with generational QB talents, having also teamed up with three-time Super Bowl winner Mahomes through two separate spells in Kansas City, the first spanning the 2019 and 2020 seasons before he returned to the team last October.

Rodgers has thrown for 59,055 yards and 475 touchdowns in 231 games through his 19 years in the NFL.

Mahomes, meanwhile, has already accumulated 28,424 yards and 219 touchdown passes through seven years with the Chiefs, and just six as their starter.

Mahomes' 2023 figures of 4,183 passing yards and 27 touchdown throws were his second-worst since becoming the Chiefs' starter in 2018, after the 2019 campaign (4,031 yards, 26 touchdown throws), yet he still came up trumps when it mattered to lead the team to Super Bowl LVIII glory.

Pennel believes Mahomes' mobility sets him out from all other quarterbacks, but he struggles to split him from Rodgers, who he sees as having a huge influence on others to play the position.

"I think Aaron Rogers, he has crazy arm talent, you know, he was the innovator of the no-look pass and coming out of the gap on scramble and things like that," he said.

"Pat's just a killer, man. I'm telling you about his mobility, but gosh, I mean, I feel like he's like the Ricky Bobby of the NFL!

"He's got the first or his last, you know what I mean? He has a different switch."

Aaron Rodgers admits he is "on the last couple holes" of his glittering NFL career, but the 40-year-old fancies his chances of winning his second Super Bowl ring with the New York Jets this season.

Rodgers joined the Jets last year after 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, who he inspired to victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Super Bowl XLV in 2011.

However, the four-time league MVP suffered a ruptured Achilles against the Buffalo Bills in Week 1 and missed the remainder of the 2023 season as the Jets went 7-10.

Now fully fit ahead of the Jets' 2024 opener against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday, Rodgers is keen to make his 20th campaign in the NFL count as he approaches the end of his career.

"I'm on the last couple holes," Rodgers told Sky Sports. "I said back nine, it's strange because I don't wake up and think I'm 40. I just think I'm still playing football. 

"This keeps you young. I feel like I'm going to work with the 20-year-olds. I'm twice their age. Some of these people might have parents that are my age. 

"But I don't feel old mentally, physically. I feel differently than I did when I was messing around. You have to have a little different approach to your health and wellness, the older you get, to be able to stay as young as you possibly can.

"I'm not going to run really fast but I feel like I can still throw it anywhere I want."

The Jets have not reached the postseason since going to the AFC Championship game in the 2010 season, and have endured eight losing seasons in a row.

However, the presence of Rodgers, star receiver Garrett Wilson and running back Breece Hall, among others, has fans dreaming of a run to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.

Rodgers is confident the team will be there or thereabouts, saying: "In the end, it's usually the best teams that are there, and there's usually eight to 12 of those teams. 

"Whether you want to admit it or not, in camp, everybody knows in the back of their minds whether or not they're one of those eight to 12 teams.

"We are one of those eight to 12 teams. Everybody knows it. Our defense is going to be a top-10 defense, for sure. Offensively, we have the ability and the talent to be a top-10 offense, so we're going to be there come December.

"I love our chances and know it's going to be a successful season for us. We're praying for some good health, but we have the talent and ability to be one of the last two teams standing."

Aaron Rodgers said he feels ready for the new NFL season with the New York Jets after enduring "one of the hardest training camps in the last eight years" of his career. 

Quarterback Rodgers, who is returning from an Achilles injury that forced him to miss much of 2023, was told by head coach Robert Saleh to expect a tough preseason. 

And speaking to reporters after practice on Tuesday, the 40-year-old insisted that Saleh had lived up to his word. 

"I would say the camp is much harder this year and maybe the hardest in the last seven or eight of my career," Rodgers said. 

According to Saleh, the Jets have completed 300 more practice reps than they had at this point last season as they look to end their longest ever playoff drought. 

The 45-year-old is under increasing pressure to deliver this time around after totalling a record of 18-33 in his first three seasons in charge. 

While Rodgers said there are different philosophies on the benefits and risks of a rigorous training camp, the four-time MVP said he personally enjoyed the experience.

"Some of the older players are enjoying the - to steal a coaching word - the 'callus' part of training camp, where you're grinding," Rodgers said.

"Some people believe that, although it puts more strain on you in training camp, it actually gets you more ready to play when the season starts.

"And some people believe the opposite. You know how it goes. Whatever teams are having success, people kind of look at their schedule and go, 'Let's do that.'"

The Jets conclude their preseason against the New York Giants, having won their previous such fixtures against the Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers.

Rodgers has not featured during the preseason, and it is expected he will also miss out against the Giants, although Saleh has yet to confirm his plans for the 40-year-old. 

They open the new season against the San Francisco 49ers, and Rodgers said he feels ready for the new campaign after putting in extra work during the training camp. 

"I feel good about where I am with my body and what I've put together," he said.

"I feel like I've done different things throughout camp as far as the rollouts, roll out and pulling up, getting out of the pocket and making plays, going back across my body, pump-faking and extending plays and getting some yards. I feel like I've done a lot."

Aaron Rodgers insists he enjoys a "great" relationship with New York Jets coach Robert Saleh, despite being fined for skipping a mandatory mini-camp last month.

Legendary quarterback Rodgers joined the Jets ahead of the 2023 season after 18 years with the Green Bay Packers, only for a ruptured Achilles to end his campaign in Week 1. 

The four-time NFL MVP is hoping to make a more meaningful contribution in his second year in New York, but his offseason has not been without controversy.

He joined edge rusher Haason Reddick in skipping a mini-camp in June, with Saleh saying both players would be subject to fines after failing to provide an explanation.

Rodgers was on vacation in Egypt at the time of the missed camp and while he regrets the scheduling conflict, he says there is no ill feeling between Saleh and himself.

"It's obviously more of an issue outside the building than there was inside the building," Rodgers said after practice as the Jets returned for preseason this week. 

"Robert and I are great. We had great conversations throughout the offseason. [We] had a fun one last night in his office until later on. So, it is what it is.

"I'm an adult. I knew what I was getting into. I knew the fine that was coming and also knew how much I wanted to be in Egypt.

"I wish there hadn't been a conflict scheduling-wise, but it was what it was."

Saleh also played down the incident on Wednesday, telling reporters: "I've had dialogue with Aaron throughout the summer. I got some cool pictures from him. 

"We had our normal conversations. Nothing has been broken, but the mini-camp stuff, we talked beforehand, so we are on the same page with everything that happened."

As the 40-year-old approaches his 20th year in the league, his sole focus is on guiding the Jets to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.

"The goal is New Orleans. That has to be the focus," Rodgers said. "It's going to take a nice training camp to feel like myself."

Aaron Rodgers' impact upon the New York Jets transcends his contribution on the field, says team-mate Quincy Williams, who has lauded the quarterback's "huge" influence.

The Jets are still awaiting an on-field impact from Rodgers, who was expected to lead the team into title contention after arriving from the Green Bay Packers but saw his 2023 season end in Week 1. 

Rodgers, a 10-time Pro Bowler, tore his Achilles tendon on just his fourth snap in Jets colours, finishing his only game of 2023 0-for-1 passing in a 22-16 defeat to the Buffalo Bills.  

Replacement QB Zach Wilson struggled through the remainder of the season as the Jets finished 7-10, but Williams says Rodgers still exerted a big influence in the dressing room.

"It's been a huge impact," Williams said of his veteran team-mate. "Let's be honest, he wanted those gold jacket guys soon, that's the most important thing.

"Anything he tells you, [you take] as constructive criticism. You write it down thinking about it because he'll come up to you in the middle of practice like: 'Hey this is what I'm looking at, what do you think about this?' 

"He's one of those open people where you can also go to him and say, 'I've got a question about the game plan', even if it's offense or defense.

"The most important thing is he advises about being a pro off the field, nutrition wise, on training and things like mental health, things you want to focus on so you can be better during the season."

Though Rodgers was unable to make an impact for the Jets on the field, Williams left his own mark and was rewarded with the first All-Pro selection of his career. 

That achievement capped a remarkable turnaround for the linebacker, who put his injury struggles behind him to appear in all 17 Jets games in 2023.

"I would describe it as a rollercoaster," Williams said. "The change from this year to last year was just me buying in.

"I came from a small school at Murray State and got drafted third round, then I ran into a lot of injuries in Jacksonville.

"I got cut from the Jaguars but got a great opportunity from the Jets to come and play with them, and also to play with my brother [Quinnen Williams].

"The season didn't go [to plan] but, most importantly, we faced the adversity. Everyone was on the same page.

"I wouldn't change the rollercoaster I was on because of the people I was with; those are my team-mates, my brother, and also my coaching staff."

This International Women's Day, the New York Jets and the Chicago Bears announced the expansion of the Jets and Bears NFL Girls Flag League, the first UK all-girls competition of its kind. To learn more about the initiative, please visit www.chicagobears.com and https://nyjetsinuk.com/girls-flag.

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has claimed he could be back in action as early as December, according to reports.

Rodgers, a four-time NFL MVP, has been out since he tore his Achilles tendon while making his Jets debut on Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills.

The 39-year-old has since undergone a surgical procedure known as a "speed bridge", as he looks to quicken up his recovery.

And according to NBC's Melissa Stark, Rodgers could be back in action in time for the playoffs.

"I know it sounds insane but you do a good surgery, you have a good patient, it makes this possible," Rodgers told Stark.

The Jets are 4-5 for the season following a 16-12 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.

The New York Jets' worst fears have been confirmed.

Aaron Rodgers will miss the rest of the 2023 NFL season with a torn left Achilles tendon.

An MRI on Tuesday confirmed the severity of the injury one day after the four-time league MVP left the Jets' 22-16 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills after just four snaps.

At 39 years old, it's possible Rodgers' career ended on that fateful play.

The injury occurred when Rodgers was sacked by Buffalo's Leonard Floyd on New York's official third play from scrimmage. The star quarterback briefly remained on the turf holding his lower left leg before being helped to the sideline, then was later taken to the locker room on a cart before having his leg placed in a walking boot.

The Jets initially announced Rodgers was questionable to return before ruling him out midway through the second quarter.

After the game, Jets coach Robert Saleh told reporters that the team feared it was a torn Achilles tendon.

Rodgers final stat line for the 2023 season is 0-for-1 passing while being sacked once.

Rodgers arrived in New York to much fanfare after the 10-time Pro Bowler requested a trade to the Jets. The Green Bay Packers eventually sent him to New York on April 26.

With Rodgers on the roster, the Jets were a trendy preseason pick to end a longstanding playoff drought and contend for an AFC title. New York holds the NFL's longest active streak without a postseason appearance at 12 years, having last reached the playoffs in 2010.

The Jets will now press on with Zach Wilson.

Wilson's quarterback rating of 72.8 last season was the lowest among the 36 quarterbacks with a minimum of 175 pass attempts in 2022.

In Monday's opener, he threw a touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson with under five minutes remaining in regulation to tie the game at 13-13. The Jets eventually won on a 65-yard punt return touchdown from rookie Xavier Gipson with 9:02 left in overtime.

Zach Wilson finished with 140 yards on 14-of-21 passing with one touchdown and one interception. 

Aaron Rodgers spent the New York Jets' first three preseason games on the sideline.

That will change in their exhibition finale.

Rodgers will reportedly make his Jets debut on Saturday against the New York Giants in the team's final tuneup before the regular-season opener against the Buffalo Bills on September 11.

Brian Costello of the New York Post reported the Jets' decision to start the future Hall of Famer against the Giants on Sunday.

Rodgers hasn't appeared in a preseason game since 2018, but had spent his entire 18-year NFL career with the Packers prior to joining the Jets in April so had a familiarity with Green Bay and its system.

After being acquired by New York, the four-time league MVP has spent all training camp working on chemistry with his new teammates, but has yet to see game action with backup quarterback Zach Wilson starting the first three preseason games.

Jets coach Robert Saleh made it clear early in camp that Rodgers would sit out the first three exhibition games but left the door open for the 39-year-old to play in the finale.

While many NFL teams rest most of their starters in the final preseason game to avoid the risk of injury, the Jets are expected to start many of their first-stringers with Rodgers in the mix.

Newly signed running back Dalvin Cook, fellow running back Breece Hall and wide receiver Garrett Wilson have yet to appear in a preseason game, but appear likely to face the Giants as the Jets will try to get their first-team offense some work together in game action before Week 1.

The Kansas City Chiefs will begin defence of their Super Bowl title by hosting the upstart Detroit Lions as the NFL announced a few more select games on its 2023 regular-season schedule Thursday morning.

The league also revealed when and where Aaron Rodgers will make his highly anticipated debut with the New York Jets, who will host the AFC East-rival Buffalo Bills on Monday, Sept. 11 in a nationally televised primetime game on ESPN.

Detroit will visit Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 7 to officially start the NFL's 2023 campaign, with the game to be broadcast on NBC beginning at 8:20 p.m. ET.

The Chiefs will also be playing at home on Christmas Day with a matchup against their longtime AFC West foes, the Las Vegas Raiders. The NFL announced on Wednesday that the reigning champions will host the Cincinnati Bengals on New Year's Eve in a rematch of last season's conference championship game, which Kansas City won 23-20 on a late field goal.

Also announced is a clash between two of the NFC's marquee teams in Week 5, when the San Francisco 49ers will host the Dallas Cowboys in prime time on Oct. 8 as part of NBC's "Sunday Night Football" package.

The entire 2023 schedule for all 32 teams will be revealed Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. The NFL announced dates and times for eight games, including five International Series matchups that will take place in either London or Germany, on Wednesday.

Aaron Rodgers hinted his stay with the New York Jets could stretch beyond the 2023 season as he targeted glory at his unveiling, saying: "That Super Bowl III trophy is looking a little lonely".

Rodgers ended a near-two-decade stint with the Green Bay Packers earlier this week, with the Jets trading four draft picks to land the four-time NFL MVP.

During the offseason, Rodgers hinted his future could lay outside the league, saying retirement was "100 per cent" an option back in February.

However, speaking at a press conference to mark his arrival in New York, Rodgers suggested he could represent the franchise for more than one season.

"They definitely gave up some picks for me to be here, so this isn't like one and done, in my mind," he said.

Asked if he was simply determined to enjoy the present, rather than look to the future, Rodgers added: "If that rubs some people the wrong way, so be it. 

"I want to be all in. I want my 'yes' to be a full 'F yes'."

The Jets' 1969 triumph at Super Bowl III remains the only occasion on which they have won it all, with Rodgers looking to help the team end a miserable 12-year stint without a postseason run.

"I love daydreaming and night dreaming, too – it's fun to take your mind to that spot," he said.

"That's why I'm here. I'm not here to be a stopgap to have a mediocre season. We want to win the whole thing. That Super Bowl III trophy is looking a little lonely."

Aaron Rodgers paid an emotional tribute to the Green Bay Packers following confirmation of his trade to the New York Jets.

The four-time NFL MVP will end a near-two-decade stay in Wisconsin with a move to MetLife Stadium for the 2023 season.

Rodgers, who led the Packers to Super Bowl XLV, has spent his entire professional career to date in Green Bay, where he has played for 18 years.

Ahead of his departure though, the veteran quarterback took to Instagram on Tuesday to thank the team, his fellow players, coaches and supporters for his time at Lambeau Field.

"I'm not sure [if] it's possible to fully express the gratitude that I have to the Packers, our incredible fans, the state of Wisconsin [and] the thousands of players that I crossed paths with," he wrote.

"I grew up in Green Bay, [was] drafted at 21, fell in love with the game, met some lifelong friends, and take with me memories that will last a lifetime.

"To the fans, thank you. You made every run out of the tunnel special, every home game magical, and it was my honour to be your QB.

"To my teammates, I love you all, and am thankful for the moments on and off the field that brought us close. I played with legends, I played with friends. Thanks for believing in me and having my back always.

"This is not the end for us. I will see you again Green Bay. You’ll always have my heart."

The Packers are expected to get four draft picks in return for Rodgers' departure, with the quarterback having pushed for his move to the Jets after a fractious few seasons.

New York Jets coach Robert Saleh is confident the team will sign Aaron Rodgers.

The veteran quarterback confirmed earlier in March that he wished to leave the Green Bay Packers to join the Jets.

However, the teams have so far been unable to reach an agreement.

Saleh, however, is not concerned. 

"I'm not hitting the panic button," Saleh said while in attendance at the NFL's annual league meeting.

"I'm confident that things are going to work out.

"You guys know me. I'm a very positive person and optimistic, so I'm confident that things will go the way we're hoping. But at the same time, it's not going to eat at me."

Indeed, Saleh says the Jets are willing to play the long game when it comes to Rodgers.

"If there's a great rapport with the coordinator, there's really no urgency," Saleh said.

"The quarterback, if he understands the system, if the quarterback knows it, it's just a matter of just refining skills and doing all that stuff. So, there's no hurry."

Saleh also confirmed that Odell Beckham Jr, who remains a free agent, is a target.

"He's been a fantastic receiver in this league," Saleh said of Beckham Jr.

"Everything you hear about him, he's a phenomenal person. That's something you're always going to look over, turn over every stone, cross your t's, dot your i's, just make sure you're not missing an opportunity to add a great player, and there's no guarantee anything will happen."

Aaron Rodgers' future remains up in the air, but the New York Jets know what they can do to convince the star quarterback to join their team.

Four-time NFL MVP Rodgers has held talks with the Jets as he ponders an exit from the Green Bay Packers, his only professional team to date.

And reports on Tuesday revealed Rodgers had given the Jets a wish list in free agency as he hopes to see the team build a roster he can lift into contention.

Rodgers wants the Jets to sign Odell Beckham Jr., ESPN said, as the Super Bowl LVI champion looks to return in 2023 after missing the entirety of last season with the injury he suffered in the previous year's title game.

Veteran Rodgers does not stop there, though, the report added.

He wants two more wide receivers in the form of Packers team-mates Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, players he knows extremely well from Green Bay.

Lazard has spent his entire career to date playing with Rodgers, while Cobb has also been on the Packers for 10 of his 12 seasons in the NFL.

The Jets could soon resemble the NFC North giants as the report added detail of Rodgers' interest in linking up again with tight end Marcedes Lewis, who joined the Packers in 2018.