Jets star makes bold prediction amid Aaron Rodgers news
New York Jets star cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner is already calling his shot even though his team doesn't yet officially have Aaron Rodgers as its new starting quarterback.
As Ryan Glasspiegel mentioned for the New York Post, Gardner was asked during a Tuesday appearance on The Ringer’s "Slow News Day" with Kevin Clark if the Jets will make the playoffs for the first time since the 2010 season with Rodgers atop the depth chart.
"Oh yeah, most definitely," Gardner responded. "We was a playoff team last year. We just didn't finish like we were supposed to. But with A-Rod joining, and a few more new pieces, that just makes it, you know, easy (to make the playoffs)."
Gardner made it known as far back as January that he was in favor of the Jets acquiring Rodgers to start over 2021 second overall draft pick Zach Wilson after Wilson struggled through a disastrous second pro season. The 22-year-old who earned Defensive Rookie of the Year honors more recently acknowledged he was among Jets players who had recruited Rodgers amid trade talks between Gang Green and Green Bay.
Gardner has a valid point about the 2022 Jets being "a playoff team" that simply "didn't finish" the job. New York improved to 7-4 in late November after head coach Robert Saleh benched Wilson in favor of popular backup and fan-favorite Mike White. However, White then lost his next two starts and suffered multiple broken ribs during the Week 14 defeat at the Buffalo Bills that dropped New York to 7-6.
The Jets never recovered without a fully healthy White and failed to win another game through Week 18.
Rodgers turns 40 years old this coming December and could decide to retire as soon as next winter. While individuals such as Newsday's Tom Rock have said the Jets are a Super Bowl-or-bust club under Rodgers' leadership, New York must first concentrate on ending what is now the longest active playoff drought among the "big four" North American professional sports leagues (tied with the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL).
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