Former New York Jets star Keyshawn Johnson has offered some cautionary words to Aaron Rodgers, emphasizing that the quarterback may be channeling his focus in the wrong direction. Johnson, who was the number-one overall pick for the Jets in 1996 and later won a Super Bowl as a wide receiver with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has expressed concerns that if the Jets stumble out of the gate, the situation could quickly take a turn for the worse.
This summer, the Jets have been making headlines in the NFL world, primarily due to their acquisition of Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers. The team has been riding high on positive vibes, stemming not only from Rodgers’ arrival but also from their successful 2022 draft class, which included standout rookies Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner, recipients of the Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year awards.
Under the watchful eye of HBO and NFL Films’ “Hard Knocks” series, it’s evident that confidence is running high among the Jets as they prepare for the regular season under the leadership of head coach Robert Saleh.
Since his arrival in New York, Rodgers hasn’t held back his opinions, as evidenced by his recent exchange with Jihad Ward of the New York Giants during a preseason game at MetLife Stadium. Ward accused the Jets of mocking one of his teammates, which prompted Rodgers to respond forcefully to the allegations.
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In response to the incident, Rodgers stated to reporters, “He thought we were laughing at his teammate? That never happened, and I think he’s making things up. I don’t care. We’ve had a lot of attention before ‘Hard Knocks.’ Then we did ‘Hard Knocks,’ so there’s some jealousy, for sure. There’s a lot of people either jumping on the bandwagon or jumping off the other side.”
Keyshawn Johnson, however, believes that Rodgers’ reaction and the team’s overall confidence might be misplaced priorities, especially considering the watchful eye of the New York media. Johnson, who is 51 years old, urges Rodgers and his fellow Jets to shift their focus towards their Week 1 matchup against the Buffalo Bills.
In Johnson’s words on “Undisputed,” “This is bigger to me than that situation. This is all about Aaron Rodgers, the attention they are grabbing, the things that he is saying, that teams are ‘jealous’ of him. He is paying attention to the wrong things, in my opinion. Instead of saying to himself and his teammates, let’s focus on trying to get this first victory against the Buffalo Bills opposed to worrying about all of the noise in the city of New York that he is finally getting a taste of. That center of attention is going to go south on you quick fast in a hurry in New York City if it does not go right. If it doesn’t go right, it’s going to go away fast, quick. They won’t care that he’s Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers. You get off to a slow start, the boobirds will come out.”
Despite not having reached the playoffs in over a decade, there is a growing belief that the Jets could be poised for a Super Bowl run. However, their challenging early-season schedule, which includes matchups against the Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, and Philadelphia Eagles in the first six weeks, will put them to the test.
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