FLORHAM PARK, NJ — Aaron Rodgers' emotions will be running high Thursday night in the New York Jets' home opener against the New England Patriots.
It will be his first game at MetLife Stadium since that fateful night on Sept. 11, when he tore his left Achilles tendon on the fourth snap of the 2023 season. It will also be a night to appreciate his NFL longevity.
Rodgers, 40, is two years older than Patriots coach Jerod Mayo. Then, of course, there's Jets rookie running back Braelon Allen, 20, who last week became the youngest NFL player to score from scrimmage since 1930.
“It gets a little weird when you're playing against coaches you've already played for and players that could be your kids,” Rodgers said Tuesday. “Yeah, it's a good reminder of how special it is to still be playing at 40.”
Mayo, a former Patriots linebacker, was drafted in 2008, three years after Rodgers was selected by the Green Bay Packers. They met once as players, in 2010, a game in which Mayo recorded 16 tackles in a losing game.
Rodgers, the league's oldest player, helped put Allen, the youngest player, in the history books last week in a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans. Rodgers threw a screen pass to Allen for a 12-yard touchdown and, in the fourth quarter, went on a running play that resulted in a 20-yard score for Allen.
At 20 years and 239 days, Allen became the youngest player since the merger (1970) to score multiple touchdowns in a game. Rodgers has been following him since 2021, when Allen was a freshman at Wisconsin.
“I've been joking around since the first time he sat down in front of me,” Rodgers said. “I knew who he was when I drafted him. I'd heard about this 17-year-old kid who played at the University of Wisconsin when I was playing in Green Bay. I couldn't believe it. I thought, oh, he must be turning 18 pretty soon. But no, he turned 18 in January of his freshman year. Now he'll be 21 in January of his rookie year. That's crazy.”
Allen and No. 1 running back Breece Hall call themselves “The Killer Bees.” They were a potent duo last week, combining for 170 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns. They were used in the same backfield on four plays, including the touchdown pass to Allen.
Allen, 6-foot-10 and 230 pounds, grew up in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, watching Rodgers' games on television. He's now in the same group as the future Hall of Famer.
“It's unbelievable,” said Allen, a fourth-round pick. “Not many people get that opportunity, to be that young at this position at this stage of their life. I feel very blessed and proud. I'm just trying to keep adding to my game.”
Rodgers said his goal Thursday night was to get the offense going. The Jets fell behind early in the first two games as the offense didn't click. This has been a trend for them in recent years, a trend Rodgers hopes to reverse.
He said it would be “a waste to keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect different results, so we have to change a couple of things. We have to be a little bit sharper… We started off really slow the first two weeks, so we have to start quicker, put something together in the first 15 [plays] and give our defense a chance to play with the advantage.”
A year ago, Rodgers made a grand entrance in Week 1, emerging from the tunnel with an American flag. He's not sure what awaits him Thursday night, but he's looking forward to making his home debut, Part II, even if it's on a short week.
“It's tough on the body and the week, but it's easier for a 20-year-old than a 40-year-old,” he said. “But I'll be ready.”
