With Aaron Rodgers, Tua Tagovailoa, and Josh Allen at the helm, the AFC East is set to witness an epic battle of quarterbacks. On one corner, we have Josh Allen, the juggernaut who has led his team to playoffs in five out of the past six seasons. Then there’s Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins’ slimmed-down signal-caller, who is turning heads with his newly embraced agility and mobility. Speaking for himself, Tua says that he has trimmed down to be “quicker on my feet” and “more nimble.” He surely isn’t that bad, having a 66.9% completion rate and 81 touchdowns under his belt.

Finally, there is Aaron Rodgers, a four-time MVP and Super Bowl-winning quarterback who left the Green Bay Packers for the New York Jets. The assumption would be justified given his celebrated status as one of the greatest QBs ever competing in the AFC East. Well, NFL Network analysts, Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks don’t agree to his said status.

In a shocking twist, Jeremiah and Brooks both ranked Rodgers behind Allen and Tagovailoa. As Jeremiah put it, “I respect Aaron and what he’s done and accomplished, but I couldn’t, I couldn’t put him down over Tua based off of recent history.”

That’s gotta sting for Rodgers, a player who’s been “able to do with the weapons around him,” as Brooks acknowledged. But it seems like Rodgers’ premature exit last season, his lack of impact on the field, combined with his off-season antics might have cast a shadow over his otherwise illustrious career.

Rodgers went AWOL during the Jets’ mandatory minicamp, sparking rumors that he was off somewhere on hallucinogenic drugs. While head coach Robert Saleh downplayed the issue, insisting he and Rodgers were “on the exact same page,” the incident certainly didn’t do A-Rod any favors in the court of public opinion.

So, what does this all mean for the upcoming season? Can the veteran silence doubters and prove he’s still the top dog in the AFC East? Or will Allen and Tagovailoa continue to outshine him, leaving the veteran QB behind?

How Aaron Rodgers’ Off-Season controversy could impact his Jets journey

While it is still unclear where Aaron Rodgers stands compared to his AFC East rivals, one thing’s for sure: his mannerisms have sure been under scrutiny over the tricky summer. Nick Wright was one of the firsts to make strong accusations when Rodgers was found guilty of allegedly skipping work for drug usage. However, a Jets emerging cornerback called on fans to stop blowing it out of proportion because their ‘15+ year HOF QB’ missed some days at practice.

Nonetheless, this cannot be good for team morale. Especially if you are a squad that is supposed to be challenging for Super Bowl rings. At the end of last season, as Rodgers himself stated, “you got to flush the bulls***” and get rid of anything that doesn’t help you win.

There is also the matter of expectations resting heavily on Rodgers’ shoulders. It cost the franchise $75 million to bring him aboard and in terms of playoffs run, they expect nothing less than a deep or even better a Lombardi Trophy win from the veteran. Can Rodgers deliver under that kind of pressure, especially with the specter of this off-season drama looming over him?

Head coach Robert Saleh insists there’s no issue between Rodgers and his teammates, but it’s hard to ignore the potential for distractions and divided loyalties. So, as Rodgers takes the field for the 2024 season, all eyes will be on him. Can he put this controversy behind him and lead the Jets to glory?