Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he is not missing any “real football” by staying on the sidelines for the beginning of the 2024 NFL preseason.
“I’m not worried about it,” Rodgers said Tuesday (h/t SNY.) “Preseason, it’s not real football.”
Jets Videos @snyjets
Aaron Rodgers is not concerned about needing to play in the preseason:
“Preseason, it’s not real football” pic.twitter.com/sJmD5hdUWy
Rodgers told reporters that “preseason is not what it used to be.”
“It’s a sea of young guys,” Rodgers said. “Once the lights go on, the pads go on, and the tackling happens, if they can show up or if they don’t. So, what’s there to gain? Just going out there, and being back on the field in a situation where you can get hit.”
Rodgers appeared in one preseason game for the Jets in 2023. Head coach Robert Saleh has said the veteran quarterback will not play in the first two games of the 2024 preseason, and might sit out the third as well, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini.
The quarterback said he could get experience taking hits on the field when playing against the Jets’ own defense during practice.
Rodgers also said Tuesday to Boomer and Gio on WFAN Sports Radio that he doesn’t think he needs to play during the preseason in order to prepare for his first game back from last year’s Achilles surgery.
“I don’t think I need to,” Rodgers said about playing a preseason game, per Audacy’s Ryan Chichester. “As long as I’m making the right reactions in practice…that’s important. There’s maybe a little change in speed and mindset because you can get hit, but preseason is not real football. It’s different.”
During his single preseason start in 2023, Rodgers went 5-of-8 for 47 yards, one touchdown and an 118.2 quarterback rating.
That ended up being almost the entirety of his game action for the 2023 season following a tear of his left Achilles four snaps into his Week 1 regular-season Jets debut.
That injury is likely driving Saleh’s caution with Rodgers during the run-up to the regular season. Saleh also decided last week to hold Rodgers out of joint practice with the Washington Commanders in order to prevent him from playing in rainy conditions, per Cimini.
It seems Rodgers does not mind that this caution might keep him out of the bulk of the preseason. In the meantime, backups like Tyrod Taylor and Andrew Peasley are likely to get playing time during the Jets’ second preseason contest Saturday against the Carolina Panthers.
