The New York Jets and Green Bay Packers will meet in a pair of joint practices prior to their exhibition clash on Aug. 21 at Lambeau Field.
Godzilla vs. Kong isn’t the only crossover blockbuster you’ll see this summer.
Per Brian Costello of the New York Post, the New York Jets will square off against the Green Bay Packers in a pair of joint practices this training camp. The teams will square off at the Packers’ practice facility on Aug. 18 and 19 before an exhibition game is staged at neighboring Lambeau Field on the 21st.
That weekend in Wisconsin will be a brotherly affair for new Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, whose older brother Matt returns at the helm of the Packers for his third season. The scheduled game to wrap the affair will serve as the second preseason contest for both teams.
Like the Jets, Green Bay’s offseason has centered around a passing commotion.
Jets chairman Woody Johnson confirmed the coming battle by sharing a memory from a prior visit to Brown County on Instagram. The photo depicts a celebratory Shaun Ellis during the Jets’ visit to Green Bay in September 2000, when they opened the new century with a 20-16 win over the Packers.
Victor Green’s interception of Brett Favre sealed the game in the penultimate minute. It was the Jets’ first game under Johnson’s ownership after purchasing the team from Leon Hess prior to the 2000 season.
“Great memories from Green Bay. My first game, my first win,” Johnson said in his caption. “Looking forward to scrimmaging there.”
As the country continues to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, business as usual has permeated NFL training camps. That includes joint practices across the league, as the Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bears will likewise get together before their showdown during the first full week of preseason action. The Jets have not partaken in a joint practice since 2018 when they did so prior to an exhibition contest in Washington.
It’s unknown how teams will handle the newly adjusted preseason slate. Under the prior four-game system, they would often treat the third game as a dress rehearsal of sorts, routinely playing starters deep into the first half.
With only three games this time around, it’s possible that the third game could take over that role.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
