The highly-anticipated Aaron Rodgers vs. Tua Tagovailoa matchups by no means occurred final season after the four-time NFL MVP suffered a season-ending Achilles harm.
However Miami will lastly get a crack at Rodgers when the Jets (3-9) come to Laborious Rock Stadium to play a Dolphins (5-7) workforce preventing for his or her playoff lives.
“Quite a few histories with Aaron Rodgers,” Dolphins defensive deal with Calais Campbell stated on Thursday. “We used to train together for a while, so I know him personally.
“He also went to junior college with my brother, so I remember when my brother was in college he was like, ‘Man, we got this guy. He’s an NFL player,’ and I’m like, ‘At Butte Junior College? Come on, man. What?’ Turned out to be Aaron Rodgers, so he probably could be a scout because he knew what he was looking at.
“Then competing against him on the field, I’ve probably played against him, I don’t know how many times, it’s a big handful. I feel like it’s been kind of back and forth, of course, but there’s definitely a couple games that stand out. I did get to him three times one game, so that was kind of nice.”
When the schedule was launched in Could, many thought the Jets and Dolphins would compete for one of many seven playoff spots within the AFC. However not solely has Gang Inexperienced massively underachieved from the offseason Tremendous Bowl contender chatter, however Rodgers is not among the finest quarterbacks within the NFL.
In 12 video games, Rodgers has handed for two,627 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions and is within the midst of arguably his worst season as a beginning quarterback. There have been rumors that Rodgers could possibly be benched following the Jets’ 26-21 loss to the Seahawks final Sunday. In that sport, Rodgers accomplished 21-of-39 passes for 185 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
Nevertheless, Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich introduced that Rodgers would begin towards the Dolphins and he can be his quarterback for the workforce’s ultimate 5 video games.
Rodgers has struggled with accuracy and mobility as he has handled ankle, hamstring and knee accidents for a lot of the season. He wasn’t on final week’s harm report for the primary time since earlier than the Jets’ Week 5 loss to the Vikings.
“A lot of respect to Aaron and what he’s done throughout the course of his years playing at Green Bay,” Tagovailoa stated. “Obviously, we got to play against him two years ago, and he’s a Hall of Famer. Whether he looks like the same way he did in years past or not, you’re just going up against greatness regardless.
“The mindset that he has and to be able to still play at his age is really remarkable, and I’ve got a lot of respect for his game with how he goes about his business and how he does his things. I’ve got a lot of respect for him.”
With all of the uncertainty surrounding the entrance workplace, these 5 video games not solely could possibly be it for Rodgers in a Jets uniform however possibly additionally the ultimate 5 video games of his profession. Rodgers’ relationship with Jets proprietor Woody Johnson has come below a microscope not too long ago after experiences of Johnson suggesting benching Rodgers following the Week 4 loss to the Broncos.
With a loss Sunday, the Jets will likely be formally eradicated from playoff competition for the 14th consecutive season. However Rodgers desires to maintain taking part in it doesn’t matter what the Jets file is.
“That’s what you do when you’re a professional,” Rodgers stated. “The most important ability you can have is availability, which I wasn’t available last year, so I’d love to play the games and I love playing football. I’m hyper-competitive and I love to be out there with the guys.”
Like Rodgers, Tagovailoa additionally had his fair proportion of adversity through the 2024 season. He missed 4 video games and landed on injured reserve after struggling a concussion whereas trying to scramble for a primary down in a Week 2 sport towards Buffalo.
In Tagovailoa’s absence, the Dolphins struggled offensively and averaged 10 factors per sport throughout these 4 video games. Throughout that stretch, Miami performed three quarterbacks: Skylar Thompson, Tim Boyle and veteran Tyler Huntley.
Naturally, Tagovailoa seems like this season would have been completely different if he hadn’t suffered the concussion.
“Nobody else will say it but me, and I feel like this has a lot to do with myself obviously putting myself in harm’s way in the second game,” Tagovailoa stated. “Going down, basically leaving my guys out to dry, that’s what I would say. Anyone can have an opinion about, ‘It’s football. It’s this, it’s that.’ I do take heart to that as well and still don’t want to do that to my guys again.”
