Aaron Rodgers reflects on his age – It’s “special” to still be playing

FLORHAM PARK, NJ – Aaron Rodgers' emotions will run high Thursday night in the New York Jets' home opener against the New England Patriots.

It will be his first game at MetLife Stadium since that fateful night on September 11, when he tore his left Achilles tendon on the fourth snap of the 2023 season. It will also be a night to honor his longevity in the NFL.

Rodgers, 40, is two years older than Patriots coach Jerod Mayo. And then, of course, there's Jets rookie running back Braelon Allen, 20, who last week became the youngest NFL player since 1930 to score a point in a scrimmage.

“It's just a little weird when you're playing against head coaches you've played against and you're playing against guys that could be your kids,” Rodgers said Tuesday. “Yeah, it's a good reminder of how special it is to still be playing at 40.”

Mayo, a former Patriots linebacker, was drafted in 2008, three years after Rodgers was selected by the Green Bay Packers. Their teams faced each other twice, in 2010 and 2014, but Rodgers missed the first meeting due to injury and Mayo missed the second.

Rodgers, the oldest player in the league, helped Allen, the youngest player, make history last week with a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans. Rodgers threw a screen pass to Allen for a 12-yard touchdown, and in the fourth quarter he checked a running play that set up a 20-yard touchdown for Allen.

At 20 years, 239 days, Allen became the youngest player since the merger (1970) to score more than one touchdown in a game. Rodgers has been watching him since 2021, when Allen was a freshman at Wisconsin.

“I've been joking since he first sat in front of me,” Rodgers said. “I knew who he was when he drafted him. I had heard about this 17-year-old kid who played at the University of Wisconsin when I was playing in Green Bay. I couldn't believe it. I thought, oh, he must be turning 18 pretty quickly. But no, he turned 18 in January of his freshman year. Now he's turning 21 in January of his freshman year. That's crazy.”

Allen and No. 1 running back Breece Hall call themselves “The Killer Bees.” They were a strong tandem last week, combining for 170 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns. They were used in the same backfield on four plays, including the touchdown pass to Allen.

The 6-foot-3, 235-pound Allen grew up in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, watching Rodgers games on television, and now he's in the same boat as the future Hall of Famer.

“It's great,” said Allen, who was drafted in the fourth round. “Not many people get this chance to be in this position at this young age at this stage of their life. I'm incredibly happy and proud. I'm just trying to keep moving up.”

Rodgers said his goal Thursday night was for the offense to take off. The Jets fell behind early in the first two games as the offense sputtered, a trend that Rodgers has been hoping to reverse over the past few years.

He said it would be “a waste of money to keep doing the same thing and expect different results, so we need to change a few things. We need to be a bit sharper. …We started really slowly in the first two weeks, so we need to start faster, in the first 15 [plays] and give our defense the chance to play with the lead.”

A year ago, Rodgers made a big entrance in Week 1 when he ran out of the tunnel with an American flag. He's not sure what to expect Thursday night, but he's excited for his home debut, Part II, albeit on a short week.

“It's definitely tough on the body and a tough week, but it's easier for a 20-year-old than a 40-year-old,” he said. “But I'll be ready.”