Sep 15, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) and tight end Tyler Conklin (83) takes the field against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Joe Namath has the New York Jets’ all-time passing record for most yards thrown in a season with 4,007 yards. Ryan Fitzpatrick has the Jets record for most TDs thrown in a season with 31. Aaron Rodgers is currently at 3,255 yards and 23 touchdowns with 3 games left to play. For now, we will ignore the fact that Namath’s 4,007 yards were thrown in a 14-game season and that Fitzpatrick’s 31 TDs were thrown in a 16-game season. It’s unfortunate that stars of the past get buried due to this phenomenon of adding games and then people just look at totals but we are not here to discuss the ethics of the matter!
We are here to point out that despite all of the loss and heartache of this 2024 season, Aaron Rodgers may still be able to walk out of it with something, just like the classic Denzel meme. For those of us who are not interested in tanking, these records add a little extra ‘juice’ for us to look out for while rooting for victory. He is currently 752 yards away and 9 touchdowns away from making history! If he averages 251 yards and 3 touchdowns per game that’ll put him at 4,008 yards and 32 touchdowns and he’d break both records this season.
Since the bye, Rodgers averaged 271 yards and 2 touchdowns per game so he’s definitely been on a tear after the bye and you can see how much better he’s been moving in the pocket after getting that extra rest. I think he will break the yards record this season but the touchdowns will be very tough – especially considering he needs to average 3 of them per game and he’s only accomplished this feat once as a Jet (this past game vs Jacksonville).
The quality of opponents should also be taken in consideration – the Jaguars were 3-10, without their starting QB, and a way less talented team overall than the Jets. Two out of the next three games are against teams that are jockeying for playoff position and the third is against the Dolphins who Rodgers just threw 339 yards on two weeks ago. Are the Rams, who are fighting to win the NFC West, and the Bills, who could still secure the #1 seed in the AFC, about to lie down and let Aaron get these records?
Probably not, but unlike Favre and Strahan, most people don’t need others to lie down to get records. I think the Jets can be competitive in all 3 of these games and leverage the reborn chemistry of Rodgers and Davante Adams to climb toward these milestones. Of course, the more additional pressure they put on Adams, the less will be on Garrett Wilson who is also looking for a milestone of his own. He is 67 yards away from becoming the 5th player in NFL history to start his career with 80+ receptions and 1,000+ yards in each of his first three seasons.
It will surely be exciting to see which of these milestones can be reached and I look forward to seeing how each of these final three games unfold. Let’s go Jets!