Aaron Rodgers has taken New Yo...

Aaron Rodgers spoke it out loud in case you had any questions or want to minimize its importance.

In his opening press conference on Wednesday, the new quarterback of the New York Jets mentioned Nathaniel Hackett as "a big reason I'm here."

It's no secret that the quarterback and the offensive coordinator get along, but that isn't the only factor in Rodgers' 18-year separation from the Green Bay Packers. (He'll claim that he was forced out.) But following a season in which Hackett endured a terrible and brief stint as the Denver Broncos head coach, the 39-year-old quarterback lay the groundwork for his next career chapter, Rodgers wanted the world to know: Don't count off Hackett.

Months away from 40, Aaron Rodgers’ age looms large

The biggest chip on Rodgers’ shoulder is his age. His discontent with Green Bay is obvious as well, but the root of that disagreement seems also to stem from his age.

Is Rodgers washed, to put it colloquially? Did a dip in his efficiency last season reflect the reality he faces as his 40th birthday lurks in December?

The Packers made clear, when they selected quarterback Jordan Love in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, that they sought a contingency plan. Rodgers’ retort was to win consecutive MVP awards, before struggling last year without his go-to coordinator and go-to receiver (the Packers dealt star wideout Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders).

Rodgers’ 64.6% completion rate and 3,695 passing yards actually still ranked 11th league-wide, his 26 passing touchdowns seventh. But compared to his 2021 dominance, he threw interceptions 2.75 times as often, averaged 39.8 fewer passing yards per game and netted a passer rating down 19.8 points. After two years with the NFL’s best passer rating, he now was textbook mediocre at 16th.

Retirement became a possibility, even temporarily a probability which Rodgers said he was “90%” leaning toward. Then, after a much-discussed darkness retreat, he decided in February: “My intention coming out of the darkness was to pursue this [Jets] opportunity.”

Savior or setback? Time is ticking for Rodgers, Jets

It’s ironic that the same head coach whose partnership so thoroughly failed with Wilson in Denver — Hackett was fired less than a season in after going 4-11 — is the coach who could be a key reason Rodgers succeeds in the move.

The results from Wilson’s partnership with Sean Payton this season will help contextualize what went wrong in Denver in 2022, and how much Wilson has left in the tank. In Green Bay, Rodgers and Hackett will move to a similar tune.

Rodgers spoke Wednesday about spending offseason time at Jets headquarters, saying he’ll be there “for the foreseeable future” acclimating to his new facility, teammates and staff.

“Obviously I know the scheme Hack’s putting in, there’s some tweaks,” Rodgers said. “I think the excitement of a new chapter has really been fueling my offseason workouts so far.”

So the Jets will emphasize the “now” in their aggressive, win-now strategy, hoping that Rodgers can help win a championship for a team that hasn’t reached the postseason since 2010.

Rodgers didn’t shy away from those sky-high expectations, saying he “noticed, walking in this morning, that the Super Bowl III trophy is looking a little lonely.”

He hopes this new marriage will prove fruitful not only for him, and not only for his beloved offensive coordinator, but also for the entire Jets organization.

“To be a part of something special is what really keeps you coming back,” Rodgers said. “I’m not here to be a savior of any kind. I’m just here to be the best quarterback I can be, to lead authentically and to inspire the guys around me to raise their level of play to an even greater spot.”