Getty Image / Kevin Mazur
The New York Jets held an introductory press conference for Aaron Rodgers on Wednesday where the quarterback discussed pretty much everything.
One burning question many had was what jersey number he’s going to wear next season.
Ultimately, Rodgers is going to wear No. 8, which is the number he wore during his college days. Even so, the switch from 12 might be a bit jarring for fans.
However, the future Hall of Famer explained why he made the number switch all while paying homage to the Jets’ franchise legend Joe Namath.
Paul Higham shares the clip of Aaron Rodgers explaining why he wants the No. 12 jersey to strictly belong to Joe Namath. Here is his full explanation during his Jets presser.
Aaron Rodgers won't wear No.12 @nyjets even though Joe Namath offered..
“To me 12 is Broadway Joe so I didn’t want to go down that path – and I’m excited about going back to my college number.”
He'll wear No.8 in New York#NYJets #AaronRodgers pic.twitter.com/O9huddguey
— Paul Higham (@SportsPaulH) April 26, 2023
Rodgers clearly is getting on the Jets fan’s good side. Why not show major respect to a franchise legend?
And what better way to do it than by not taking the jersey number?
With that said, Aaron Rodgers is going to rock the No. 8 jersey and it’s likely going to sell like hotcakes. Especially in the great state of New York.
So, it’ll be interesting to see how Rodgers handles playing in the North East. Luckily for him, he’s used to playing in a cold environment, so not much should change.
Additionally, the Jets are aiming for big things now with Rodgers under center. But will he be able to bring a Super Bowl home to New York as Joe Namath did in Super Bowl III (that was SO long ago)?
Who knows, but the Jets should be competitive next season.