Jets star delivers cold-blooded message to Aaron Rodgers ahead of Week 1

Aaron Rodgers won’t be the only New York Jets storyline to watch when the team travels to Pittsburgh for their Week 1 showdown with the Steelers.

One of his former teammates is already circling the date on his calendar, and he made it clear he’s not showing up for hugs and handshakes. That former teammate is Jermaine Johnson.

Johnson told reporters after Tuesday’s first practice of mandatory minicamp that he had been texting Rodgers the night before. But when asked about the looming matchup against his former quarterback, Johnson made it clear he's not going to take it easy.

“When I get between those lines, there’s no friends,” he told reporters. There’s no crying in baseball — and evidently, no friends in football either.

Jermaine Johnson is ready for his Aaron Rodgers reunion in Week 1

Johnson, who broke out with a Pro Bowl campaign in 2023, missed nearly all of last season after tearing his Achilles in Week 2. He’s still recovering but is expected to be ready for Week 1, with head coach Aaron Glenn indicating he’ll likely begin training camp on the PUP list.

The Jets will be counting on Johnson to return to form quickly, and there’s good reason to believe he can. With a healthy defensive line around him and a revamped coaching staff, Johnson could be poised for an even bigger leap in 2025.

Expectations should be tempered, though, as Johnson is coming off a major injury. It's uncommon for edge rushers to return to peak form in their first year back from an Achilles tear.

Still, there’s no better way to make a statement than in Week 1, on the road, against a former MVP. Rodgers might not be the same quarterback he once was, but there’s no doubt he’ll draw plenty of attention in his Steelers debut.

Johnson won’t be the only Jets player with something to prove in Week 1. Quarterback Justin Fields will make his debut against the very team that benched him just months earlier.

Fields will be looking to prove the Steelers wrong and get a little revenge of his own, while Johnson wants to remind everyone what he can do on the gridiron. That Week 1 matchup should carry plenty of intrigue.

Rodgers and Johnson may have history — the latter leaned on Rodgers for support during his injury rehab — but all that goes out the window once the whistle blows.

Johnson sounds eager to remind the Steelers that the Jets have playmakers of their own and that he hasn’t forgotten how to make an impact. If he gets his way, his return will start with a very personal sack celebration.

More NY Jets news and analysis: