Jets players embrace Aaron Rodgers’ confidence after 49ers loss
By Zac Wassink | Last updated 9/12/24
Before New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers asked fans on Tuesday to “come along for the ride,” he offered teammates words of encouragement shortly after the club endured a season-opening 32-19 loss at the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night.
Tight end Tyler Conklin spoke with Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post on Wednesday about Jets players embracing Rodgers’ vote of confidence.
“He talked to us all after the game in the locker room, and as someone who has had so many experiences and has been through so much in this league, to be able to listen to him speak to us honestly and truthfully it was a good feeling to have that, to know that we are OK,” Conklin explained.
The Jets entered Monday’s matchup with Super Bowl expectations hovering over them as Rodgers returned to the lineup for the first time since he suffered a torn Achilles. However, the future Hall of Famer understandably showed some rust while facing a stellar San Francisco defense as a Jets defense that reportedly won’t have pass-rusher Haason Reddick anytime soon surrendered 401 total yards of offense in the double-digit defeat.
Wide receiver Allen Lazard believes Rodgers is the perfect leader to help the Jets bounce back from all that went wrong at Levi’s Stadium on Monday, beginning with this Sunday’s showdown at the 0-1 Tennessee Titans.
“Aaron definitely has a grandfatherly, or some may say a shaman type of aura to him, especially when he’s talking to the masses — just from his successes and some 20 years in the league,” Lazard told Cannizzaro. “It’s not that when anyone else speaks it that you don’t believe it, but when he speaks it you seem to rely a little bit more on it. You feel just the comfortability and the trust in his words.”
Jets head coach Robert Saleh made it known earlier this week he feels better about the club’s short-term future now than he did a year ago after Rodgers was sidelined with a season-ending injury. Conklin echoed Saleh’s take and said on Wednesday that “we know we’re a good team” despite how the Jets performed against the Niners.
“We definitely feel better having Aaron leading this team,” Conklin added. “You always have a chance with him back there.”
As of Thursday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Jets as 3.5-point favorites against the Titans. Positive feelings expressed by Jets players this week could soon evaporate if the club once again looks like a work in progress, this time against what’s advertised to be a team in the middle of a rebuild.
