It was supposed to be a night for the history books. Well, it was… but not the chapter Jets fans had in mind. Aaron Rodgers, the legendary quarterback everyone hoped would deliver the Jets from decades of football mediocrity, ended up making NFL history on Sunday night against the Buffalo Bills. Just not the good kind.
Let’s set the scene. The Jets were already trailing 33-0, and Rodgers was chasing a monumental milestone: his 500th career touchdown pass. Only four other quarterbacks have ever done it. Rodgers was about to join an elite club. Instead? The Bills’ defense turned him into a piñata. Four sacks later, Rodgers walked off the field, not with his 500th TD, but as the most sacked quarterback in NFL history. Yes, folks, Rodgers officially surpassed Tom Brady with 568 career sacks.
Is that a record anyone wants to hold? Probably not. But here we are.
The Benching That Wasn’t a Bench
Here’s the wild part—Rodgers wasn’t even mad about getting pulled from the game. Nope. In fact, he may have been the one to suggest it. Picture this: the Jets are down 33-0, and Rodgers is sitting on the sideline, chatting with interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich. “Probably go to Tyrod here, huh?” Rodgers supposedly said, referring to backup QB Tyrod Taylor.
And just like that, the Bills tossed another touchdown on the board. It was 40-0. The game was over. Rodgers knew it. Everyone knew it. Enter Taylor, who managed to salvage a sliver of pride with two garbage-time touchdowns. Final score: 40-14.
Rodgers didn’t seem bitter—at least not outwardly. “It’s kind of like the season—it just got away from us,” he said in the postgame presser. If that doesn’t sum up the Jets’ 2024 season, I don’t know what does.
Milestones and Misery
Now, let’s talk about this 500th touchdown milestone. It’s not like Rodgers doesn’t have another shot at it. The guy’s a living legend, and as long as he stays healthy (fingers crossed, because, Jets), he’ll reach it soon enough. But Sunday night could’ve been his moment—a bright spot in an otherwise dismal season.
Instead, Rodgers walked off the field as the face of two very different stats: one, a future Hall of Famer on the cusp of 500 TDs; the other, the most sacked quarterback in NFL history. Talk about bittersweet.
Jets Fans: What Now?
Jets fans are a resilient bunch, but even they have to be questioning their football life choices right now. This season wasn’t supposed to go like this. Rodgers was the savior, the guy who’d finally lead the Jets deep into the playoffs. But the team is sitting at a record that’s best described as “meh” at this point, and the playoffs? A pipe dream.
Rodgers, for his part, seems more focused on what went wrong than what could’ve been. “We were moving the ball well, and then we just hit a wall,” he said, summing up not just the game but the entire season.
The Record Nobody Wants
As for that sack record? It’s a dubious honor, for sure. But in a way, it’s a testament to Rodgers’ durability. The man’s been in the league 19 years. You don’t break records like this without sticking around—and getting back up—time and time again.
So while this season may be circling the drain, there’s still time for Rodgers to rewrite the narrative. Maybe he’ll get his 500th touchdown next week. Maybe the Jets will string together a few wins. Or maybe—let’s be real—it’ll just be more of the same.
Either way, Rodgers is still standing. For now. And Jets fans? They’re hanging on, too. Barely.
P.S. Did I mention Rodgers breaking Brady’s sack record is kind of poetic? Brady, the guy who tormented Jets fans for years, now has to share a weird connection with Rodgers. Full circle, baby.
P.P.S. If anyone asks, I’m rooting for Rodgers to get that 500th TD next week. Let’s just hope he doesn’t break another record we don’t want to talk about first.
- NFL Drops Historic Buffalo Bills Stat Ahead of AFC Championship Clash with Chiefs
- Chargers 2024 Year-End Awards: MVP, Breakout Star, Rookie of the Year & More
- Saquon Barkley Heroics, Ferocious Defense Propel Eagles to NFC Championship Game
- Ford Field Faceoff: Lions or Commanders – Who’s Better?
- The Broncos’ 2024 Season: 10 Highs-Lows-and Surprises
