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Aaron Rodger's New York Jets teammate had no idea he's been in NFL for 20 years

01 June 2024 , 01:00
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Aaron Rodgers is hoping to hit the ground running off an Achilles tear at 40 years of age (Image: Getty Images)
Aaron Rodgers is hoping to hit the ground running off an Achilles tear at 40 years of age (Image: Getty Images)

New York Jets' defensive linchpin Quinnen Williams was left gobsmacked when he found out that quarterback Aaron Rodgers is about to embark on his 20th NFL season.

The Jets were back in action for another OTA on Wednesday, as head coach Robert Saleh kicked off his summer mission to transform his team into AFC East contenders and put an end to their playoff drought. The Jets haven't seen postseason action since 2010 - the same year Rodgers guided the Green Bay Packers to Super Bowl victory.

Rodgers was wrapping up his sixth season in the league and his third as a starter, having taken over from Brett Favre, when he lifted the Lombardi Trophy. Now, the first-round pick from the 2005 NFL Draft is gearing up for his 20th season in the league, a fact that left Williams stunned when a reporter mentioned it.

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"Twenty years? I ain't know that," Williams told reporters, shocked by Rodgers' lengthy career. "Man, isn't our running back, No. 0, 20 years old? So he's been in the NFL as long as he's been alive. That's crazy, huh? I gotta joke with him about that."

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Williams, a former First-team All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler who recently inked a four-year contract extension worth $96 million with the Jets, was referring to rookie running back Braelon Allen. The fourth-round draft pick was just a few months old when Rodgers joined the league, much like several other Jets teammates who were also incredibly young - including first-round pick Olu Fashanu.

Williams was merely seven when the Packers selected Rodgers, who had dedicate his first 18 NFL seasons to Green Bay as their 25th overall choice. Since then, Williams has managed to finish elementary school, go through middle and high school, join Alabama, play there for three seasons, be part of a national championship-winning team, make the leap into the NFL, and secure a handsome second contract.

Aaron Rodger's New York Jets teammate had no idea he's been in NFL for 20 yearsQuinnen Williams was stunned to learn just how long Aaron Rodgers has been in the NFL (X @NYJets)

Now recognized as Jets' seasoned player, four-time NFL MVP Rodgers is offering precious nuggets of wisdom to his fellow teammates as he prepares for his second go-around on the pitch following an Achilles tear that threw his campaign off course. Williams remarked: "To see how hard he works, to see how much he loves football, to see how smart he is, how much he pours into our team and pours into football is unbelievable."

"And that just trickles off to everyone else and makes everyone else better because he makes the captains better and the captains make the unit better. Having him on our team has been unbelievable, so 20 years is a lot of experience.

Andrew Gamble

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