Jets ink Aaron Rodgers' former backup

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated Apr 6, 2023 4:58 PM ET

Following weeks of buzz, the New York Jets finally landed a former Green Bay Packers quarterback, only not the one fans have long anticipated.

On Thursday, the Jets inked Tim Boyle, an undrafted quarterback who has spent four seasons in NFL, going winless in three career starts. Boyle spent the 2022 season with the Chicago Bears, completing only two of eight passes while throwing two interceptions during his one game of action.

Every team needs a backup, and in Boyle's case, he has a history with Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and the quarterback in Green Bay, who seems bound for New York at some point.

In 2019, Hackett told Ryan Wood of USA Today that he recruited Boyle out of high school while the Jets OC was an assistant with Syracuse. A few years later, with Hackett now in Green Bay, the Packers brought Boyle aboard as a backup after three years at Connecticut.

Meanwhile, Boyle also backed up Aaron Rodgers with the Packers for two seasons. Ahead of the 2021 season, Rodgers called Boyle a "great guy" after he left Green Bay for the Detroit Lions.

"He's just a special guy," Rodgers told reporters via SI.com. "I watched him grow and develop over the years with us, not just as a person, but as a player. He's got a big-time arm, and he's very athletic, as well."

As for the drama surrounding Rodgers and his potential future with the Jets, a recent report suggests that a deal is closer than many believe. A deal sending Rodgers from Green Bay to New York seemed inevitable not long ago. However, as the weeks have drug on, other teams have emerged as possible suitors, including the San Francisco 49ers.

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