Aaron Rodgers envisions championship glory with the Jets, inspired by Mets’ legacy
During an interview on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio with Adam Schein, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers opened up about his aspirations with the team and drew inspiration from the New York Mets’ 1986 championship. With a genuine passion for New York sports and a desire to leave a lasting legacy, Rodgers expressed his excitement about the upcoming season and the opportunity to bring a championship back to the Jets faithful.
Expectations
When asked about his expectations for the season and the teams he believes can contend for a Super Bowl, Rodgers acknowledged the fierce competition in the league. He highlighted the strength of the AFC, which includes the reigning champions Kansas City Chiefs. Additionally, Rodgers emphasized the quality of the Cincinnati Bengals, who made an impressive playoff run the previous year. Rodgers also touched on the Jets’ season opener against the Buffalo Bills, led by his friend and rival Josh Allen.
“I think there’s been a lot of conversation around success as we watched the NBA playoffs, and some interesting answers have been shared,” Rodgers said. “You know, I was traded here with the idea that there’s a team in place that can win a championship and, being an older player, that’s what you wanna do, you wanna add to your legacy and championships obviously really add to your legacy.”
The Mets
Discussing the significance of winning a championship in New York, Rodgers drew parallels to the Mets’ victorious 1986 season. He expressed his admiration for Kevin Mitchell, a rookie player at the time.
“I think you have to take your mind there so you can start to understand the manifestation of these dreams and thoughts,” Rodgers said. “And coincidentally enough, last night I was watching the 30-for-30 on the ’86 Mets.” “I was always a big Kevin Mitchell fan growing up… And Kevin was on the ’86 Mets, he was a rookie and he had the second hit of the [10th] inning [of Game 6] and actually scored the tying run on the wild pitch when Mookie Wilson was at bat.”
Rodgers recognized the passionate support of Mets fans and their connection to Jets fans, sharing the fervour and excitement of a long-awaited championship. With the Jets absent from the playoffs for over a decade and lacking a Super Bowl appearance since Joe Namath’s iconic win in 1969, Rodgers acknowledged the special significance of bringing a championship back to New York.
“But the reason I’m telling the story is that the Mets fans, many Mets fans are Jets fans, obviously the Jets used to be in Long Island and a ton of fans from that area.” Rodgers continued, “And you see just the reaction from the Mets fans was so incredible during that time….you realize how special it would be to win a championship anywhere, obviously, but I think especially here in New York with a team that hasn’t been in the playoffs in 12 years and obviously hasn’t been back to the Super Bowl since Broadway Joe.”
Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi
Later, Rodgers talked about his appreciation for New Jersey culture, particularly his love of Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi. However, he admitted that he had never fully delved into The Sopranos, which is set in Jersey. Nonetheless, Rodgers expressed an open-mindedness to give it another shot, recognizing its status as a generational television masterpiece.
“I love the Boss; I love Bon Jovi. I never really got into Sopranos, which is crazy because I’ve watched all the other mob movies. You know, Godfather, Casino, Goodfellas, on and on. Never really got into Sopranos, though.” Rodgers continued, “I would try it. I’d be up for trying it for sure. I just, I’m kind of a one-show-at-a-time type of guy. So I just didn’t have the time to kind of binge that show. But I mean, I bet I’d love it because it’s one of the iconic shows of our generation,” Rodgers confessed.
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