On June 6, it was announced that former Jets QB Aaron Rodgers was signing a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Jets will face the Steelers in Week 1 at MetLife Stadium.
The game will likely sell out and be a TV ratings bonanza.
New Jets coach Aaron Glenn decided to move on from Rodgers, who was under contract to the team this year. This was the first time in his NFL career that Rodgers was cut, so he will likely be highly motivated to beat Glenn in Week 1.
But in a way, Week 1 might be a good time to get Rodgers and the Steelers. The veteran QB wasn’t there for most of Pittsburgh’s off-season program, aside from the veteran minicamp, and likely will play very little in the preseason, so it could take a few games for him to get comfortable with his new teammates and system.
Rodgers needs to get in sync with his new offensive line and weapons in Pittsburgh in real game action, so in Week 1, the Steelers’ offense will likely still be a work in progress.
Honestly, with all the practice limitations in NFL practices due to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams can’t get as much out of training camp as they did 15-20 years ago.
So, NFL games in September, at least the first couple, are almost like preseason games.
So, if you are of the belief that Rodgers is still a good NFL QB, facing him in Week 1 might be ideal for the Jets.
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