Aaron Rodgers showing he 'hasn't lost a step' at NY Jets OTAs

Aaron Rodgers is back on the NY Jets' practice field and he's wasting little time reminding everyone why he's one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. The early word coming out of Jets camp is that Rodgers looks like the Rodgers of old.

Of course, it's never wise to make bold and declarative statements about OTAs, but Rodgers has looked the part and impressed his coaches, teammates, and media to this point.

Jets official beat reporter Caroline Hendershot insisted last week that her biggest takeaway from the Jets' first week of OTAs was that Rodgers"hasn't lost a step."

Hendershot went on to say how Rodgers "looked as sharp as ever" and that both his arm strength and, more importantly, his mobility was still impressive. He looked like the same Aaron Rodgers who won two back-to-back MVPs in 2020 and 2021.

Aaron Rodgers earns rave reviews at NY Jets OTAs

Again, we're still talking about padless practices here. Rodgers is throwing from clean pockets without the threat of being hit, all while wearing sweatpants and a red no-contact QB jersey. Still, the reports have been encouraging.

Rodgers has admitted that his biggest remaining obstacle is more mental than anything. The four-time MVP insists that he feels 100 percent physically but that he still needs to learn to trust his body again after missing a year due to a torn Achilles.

"I feel really good. It's just about the mental part. I think these practices have been nice, last couple of days to feel what it is like to be out there to be moving around and not be thinking about it, and see how I respond the next day. So, it's just this last part, the strength is good, the movement's good, just the confidence to do everything."

- Aaron Rodgers

It goes without saying that the Jets' success (or lack thereof) in 2024 will be primarily dependent on Rodgers' performance. If he looks like his pre-injury self, the Jets should be considered serious Super Bowl contenders. That remains a major question mark, however.

It's been about three years since we've seen Rodgers perform at an MVP level. His 2022 season was a disappointment by his standards and was marred by injury. He infamously played just four snaps in 2023 before tearing his Achilles.

Now 40 years old, Rodgers is out to prove that he can still play at a high level in the NFL. The Jets certainly need him to if they're to capitalize on their brief Super Bowl window of opportunity.

The early signs have been promising. Rodgers will hope to carry this momentum into the summer once the pads come on and the hits start coming. The Jets are very encouraged by what they've seen so far.