The New York Jets are now out of playoff contention, and their chance of putting an end to their prolonged playoff drought has remained a daydream. The team has leaned towards Aaron Rodgers to potentially secure a Super Bowl this season, just like Tom Brady earned the Lombardi Trophy with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his debut season.
However, for Rodgers, the hope remained unfulfilled. After sustaining the season-ending injury in the match vs the Buffalo Bills, A-Rod has been out of the field to recover from the setback. The quarterback has recently been activated on the Jets active roster, which prompted a huge controversy. The veteran has come forward to provide a stern reply to the controversy.
Rodgers addresses critics following roster activation
Aaron Rodgers, amidst controversy and criticism regarding his return to the active roster, has recently addressed concerns surrounding his unexpected activation from the injured reserve roster. In his regular appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” he said the decision to activate him wasn’t at his behest.
Despite being sidelined due to a surgically repaired Achilles, A-Rod initially assumed he would remain on injured reserve for the rest of the season. He expressed his willingness to continue rehabilitation without actively participating in team practices, as he didn’t want to displace another player. The signal-caller revealed that the Jets’ organization pushed for his activation to enable his participation in team practices by overriding his preference to stay on injured reserve.
“I assumed I was going to go on IR. I asked to be put on IR, but then there was a conversation, ‘Do you want to practice?’ I said not at the expense of somebody getting cut. I know how this works. I didn’t feel like I needed to practice to continue my rehab. I could do on-the-field stuff on the side, but, obviously, I got overruled there. It is what it is. This was an interesting situation,” he said via ESPN.
"I asked to be put on IR because I didn't wanna practice at the expense of somebody getting cut..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 26, 2023
I didn't feel like I needed to practice to continue my rehab but obviously I got overruled there" ~ @AaronRodgers12 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/XHmsGTfxL3
The move of activating Rodgers sparked controversy as it did cost the job of fullback Nick Bawden. However, A-Rod said he reached out to Nick right away to assure him that the decision wasn’t from his end and expressed regret over the unintended consequences.
“I called Nick right away. I just said, ‘Hey, I hope you know this isn’t coming from me. I asked to be put on IR.’ He actually said, ‘Hey, look, I’m vested. I’m getting my money. I’m fine.'”
Nick later got his job back, but cornerback Kalon Barnes was cut from the 16-member practice squad later.
Aaron Rodgers, after a 14-week absence following his Achilles injury and subsequent surgery in September, was officially activated from injured reserve. This move came on the heels of the closure of his 21-day practice window, prompting Gang Green’s decision to ensure his active involvement in practice sessions despite his unavailability for gameplay.
Aaron Rodgers analyses the tight NFL MVP race
Aaron Rodgers stands as an authority when discussing the race for the prestigious award. Having secured this honor four times, he is well-versed in the criteria and dynamics that shape the outcome. However, this season has posed significant challenges for the veteran by impeding his personal candidacy due to an Achilles injury.
In The Pat McAfee Show, the signal-caller delved into the current MVP race by highlighting a prevalent trend in recent years where quarterbacks dominate the award. He questioned whether this year might usher in a departure from that tradition and proposed other standout players like Christian McCaffree, Tyreek Hill and Raheem Mostert as deserving candidates.
“Is this a year where it’s just going to go to the quarterback on the best team? Or does a guy like CMC [49ers running back Christian McCaffrey] have a legitimate chance to win this? Or Tyreek Hill? Is [Raheem] Mostert on there? He’s got like 20 touchdowns.”
"Is this a year where the MVP goes to the Quarterback on the best team or could it go to CMC or Tyreek..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 26, 2023
If the Bills win out and Josh Allen plays well I think you have to put him in the conversation"@AaronRodgers12 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/2iyWkZDHsp
A-Rod raved about McCaffrey and Hill for leading their respective positions. He advocated for Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen citing his consistent productivity and the team’s recent string of victories as crucial factors deserving consideration.
“I think both of those guys deserve a lot of consideration. The other guy, and I saw some stats, I know Josh [Allen] has had turnovers this year, but the guy has had 40 total touchdowns again in four straight years and the team has been, what they’ve won four straight, and three of those have been pretty damn good opponents.”
The veteran envisioned a strong finish to put Allen into serious contention. His hypothetical scenarios, such as the Bills star finishing with an impressive 48 combined touchdowns, highlighted the magnitude of the final games in shaping MVP aspirations.
As of now, Lamar Jackson’s exceptional gameplay has significantly impacted the MVP odds, with sportsbooks favoring him heavily. DraftKings Sportsbook currently positions Jackson as the favorite with -160 odds, displaying a commanding lead over Christian McCaffrey, who trails at +400.
