Aaron Rodgers Is Back: He Answers All Questions on Thursday

Rodgers: 'I was doing some things I did as a younger man.' Is it too early to call the former Cal QB an MVP candidate?

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Four questions hounded former Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers coming into the 2024 season.

---Is he too old? (He is 40 years old, the oldest player in the NFL, and will turn 41 in December.)

---Has he recovered sufficiently from a serious injury? (He suffered a torn Achilles tendon on the fourth offensive snap of the 2023 season.)

---Will he be too rusty from inactivity? (Rodgers hadn’t played any meaningful regular-season minutes since 2022.)

---Is he sill mobile enough to be an effective quarterback in the NFL?

In the Jets’ 24-3 victory over the Patriots on Thursday, Rodgers answered all those questions while completing 27-of-35 passes for 281 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

---He did not look old. In fact he resembled the Aaron Rodgers who won his fourth MVP in 2021.

---Rodgers showed no effects of his Achilles injury, and showed no rust in his third game after his long period of inactivity. He was sharp throughout the game, particularly in the first half when the Jets took control of the game.

---And perhaps most impressive of all, Rodgers demonstrated mobility in the pocket.  He scrambled three times for 18 yards, but more important was that he was 5-for-5 on passes thrown after he was flushed out of the pocket.

“I felt pretty good tonight,” Rodgers said afterward. “I was doing some things I did as a younger man.”

As a younger man he was a contender for the NFL MVP award every year, and won it four times.

Which leads to question No. 5: Is it too early to say he is now a contender for his fifth MVP?

Well, the answer to that question is, yes, it’s too early.

It was just one performance three games into the season, and it was against the Patriots, not exactly a powerhouse. And the Jets are just 2-1, a long way from clinching a playoff spot.

But it did open some eyes, especially the eyes of New Jets fans, who were chanting Aaron Rodgers’ name during and after Thursday’s victory.

Follow Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53

Find Cal Sports Report on Facebook by going to https://www.facebook.com/si.calsportsreport