Speaking with Sports Illustrated, former defensive end J.J. Watt gave his thoughts on the New York Jets
With Aaron Rodgers officially acquired as their new starting quarterback, the New York Jets have quickly found themselves in the national spotlight. After all, when big stars come to the Big Apple, that tends to happen.
So when J.J. Watt sat down with Sports Illustrated’s Robin Lundberg, it shouldn’t have surprised anyone that the Jets would find themselves as a topic of conversation. What was surprising, though, were some of the answers the former DPOY had.
When asked to assess the stock of the Jets, Watt said, “I would say it’s trending upward. They obviously have an unbelievable defense. To add a quarterback of Aaron Rodgers’ caliber, it certainly gives them an opportunity to go out there and get it. It also signals to their fans that ownership is serious about going after a title. So I would imagine the vibes around the city are pretty good for big green.”
Watt added that the addition of Rodgers would add more prime-time opportunities for the Jets, and dismissed a (joking) notion that he might’ve been coaxed out of retirement by Rodgers.
After that, Watt was then asked his opinion on which team would have the better 2023 season: the New York Giants or the Jets?
“That’s a great question,” said Watt. “I know I’m going to piss off half of New York which is not what I want. I’m going to go with the team that had success last year. I’m going to go with the Giants.”
Watt was put in a lose-lose situation with the question, but the answer seemed more like a cop-out than definitive belief.
The Giants have put together a good team in their own right, but they only won two more games than the Jets last year despite the Jets starting four different quarterbacks throughout the season. With the addition of Rodgers, it’s hard to prove on paper that the Giants are better than the Jets.
One thing is certain, however: win or lose, the Jets will be making headlines this year.
