Will future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers be 'all in' with Jets? | Schad

Before the Tampa Bay Bucs went 8-9 in Tom Brady's final NFL season, some folks around the team were concerned about whether the legend was truly all in.

All in emotionally.

All in physically.

All in on pursuing another championship.

Brady had always been Michael Jordan-Wayne Gretzky-Kobe Bryant-esque when it comes to intense, on-field preparation and focus and commitment. And yet here was Brady, missing some practice time.

Clearly, Brady was going through some personal and marital turmoil, and that makes him nothing short of human.

But it all unraveled on the field for Brady, and there was a multitude of reasons, but it just didn't feel around the Bucs as it had in the Super Bowl championship season only two years earlier.

This brings us to Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers said a lot on Pat McAfee's highly anticipated podcast on Wednesday.

Notably, Rodgers said he intends to play for the Jets next season.

Yes, Aaron is taking his talents to East Rutherford.

But one thing that jumped out to me is when Aaron said at one point this offseason he was "90 percent" retired.

Ninety percent!

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Aaron isn't happy about how the Packers have treated him, as he learned about them exploring trade options from friends.

So the question to be asked is whether Rodgers truly wants to play in 2024 — and truly wants to play for the Jets.

Or does Aaron just want to show the Packers and other doubters he can play at the level he did during his self-described back-to-back "COVID MVP seasons."

Rodgers is a unique individual, but that does not mean he won't perform well for the Jets.

Rodgers is 39 years old, but that does not mean he won't perform well for the Jets.

What could hold him back is if he, at some point, any point, wakes up and decides his heart and his body and his emotions and his spirit just really aren't into it.

Rodgers did, after all, literally just spend time in a cave.

Worst of all is if he realizes that in-season and just plays out the stretch.

That would be terrible for the Jets' ownership and management and coaches and players.

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And yes, fans.

Rodgers seems very emotional, and willing to allow himself to be perceived as sensitive, introspective and vulnerable. And yet, his personality is off-putting and unpopular, according to fans.

In a quick, unscientific Twitter poll, 82% of voters said they find Tom Brady more likable than Rodgers.

Tom Brady!

It's hard to blame the Jets for moving mountains to acquire a quarterback who may be their most talented since Joe Namath. Maybe the most talented quarterback in franchise history actually, really.

But it's hard to know exactly what version of Rodgers the Jets will be getting, comparing Rodgers with nobody other than the best version of Rodgers.

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Namath has offered to let Rodgers wear his retired #12.

Is it possible Namath could live to regret to live that decision?

Well, sure, if in a worst-case scenario, Rodgers is difficult to work with, fails to lead the Jets to the next NFL playoffs and then — retires.

Rodgers is the latest entry to a deep and uber-talented AFC quarterback pool.

Let's note that these quarterbacks had a quarterback rating better Rodgers did in 2022: Tua Tagovailoa, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Trevor Lawrence and Justin Herbert.

This won't be an easy task for Rodgers, in the same way it won't be for Tua.

The AFC is clearly better than its counterpart.

There is a saying that once somebody starts to think about retiring, they've already retired.

We're not suggesting that there's no way Rodgers will be motivated.

He seems motivated by reporters like Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport, who try to do little more than their jobs well, just like him.

How will Rodgers navigate the notoriously merciless and unforgiving New York media?

I cringe a bit at the thought. I have also cringed at some of Rodgers' COVID-vaccine comments.

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But the Jets are willing to look past all that because he makes strong on-field audibles.

It seems there's no turning back now, for Rodgers, the Jets or the Packers.

It seems very unlikely he'll make a life audible and call the whole thing off.

Rodgers is one of the great players in NFL history, a future Hall of Famer.

But what version of Rodgers will be suiting up in green and white in 2024?

Will he truly be all in?

Even Rodgers himself may not know.

.Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and Twitter @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Aaron Rodgers wants to be a New York Jet. But will be be all in in 2024?