Aaron Rodgers Says 2024 Jets Training Camp Was Among Most Difficult of His Career

Patrick Andres | Aug 21, 2024

Aug 17, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) shares a laugh on the sidelines during the second half against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. / Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Over the course of his 19-year career, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been through all manner of training camps.

A post-Super Bowl training camp. Post-playoff heartbreak training camps. Tear-it-up-and-start-again training camps.

Rodgers, however, said 2024 might have ranked among his hardest.

"I would say the camp is much harder this year and maybe the hardest in the last seven or eight of my career," Rodgers said Tuesday via Rich Cimini of ESPN.

The Jets are coming off a second straight 7-10 season in which Rodgers played just one game—tearing his Achilles minutes into the campaign. The quarterback insisted his body was in good shape, and weighed conflicting viewpoints about the efficacy of a hard training camp.

"Some of the older players are enjoying the—to steal a coaching word—the 'callus' part of training camp, where you're grinding," Rodgers said. "Some people believe that, although it puts more strain on you in training camp, it actually gets you more ready to play when the season starts."

New York is scheduled to open its season on Sept. 9 against the San Francisco 49ers.