Another rough Monday in New York Jets land brings about yet another depressing round of news. For one diehard fan, however, the bad vibes haven’t forced him off one of his favorite topics.
On the most recent edition of his podcast, “Oh the Pain,” Benigno lauded quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘s most recent performance while announcing his desire to return to the Jets in 2024—despite his belief that the media wants him gone.
“Aaron Rodgers had a phenomenal game yesterday,” Benigno proclaimed. “This team continues to be in every freaking game, and all they (the media) want to do is blame Rodgers. This defense stinks.”
Joe then dropped the cherry on top while admitting he does not yet know who the next Jets coach will be: “You have to think long and hard about bringing Rodgers back. Let’s be serious about it; he was mobile, he didn’t throw any picks, and he was like (Joe) Namath throwing to (Don) Maynard and (George) Sauer.”
Rodgers, 41, registered his first 300-yard passing game with the Jets on Sunday. Finishing with 339 yards and a touchdown (with no interceptions) on 27 of 39 passing, Rodgers’s tremendous game wasn’t enough in his team’s 33-26 loss to the Dolphins.
Moreover, Rodgers showcased his top-notch receiving duo all afternoon. Third-year weapon Garrett Wilson finished with 114 yards and 7 receptions, whereas veteran Davante Adams went for 109 yards and a touchdown on 9 grabs.
Speaking of Adams, Benigno is also high on the Jets’ other offensive veteran, believing the Jets should retain Rodgers’s long-time favorite weapon.
“Davante Adams, as great as he is, has to come back,” Benigno added. “You tell me a team in the NFL right now, that has a better one-two punch at wide receiver than Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson. And by the way, Garrett Wilson abused Jalen Ramsey yesterday; abused him.”
Although I understand the sentiment, from my point of view, nobody should worry about Aaron Rodgers’s future since we have no idea who the 2025 Jets actually are yet. Until a general manager and head coach are named, there’s no point in even speculating.
In other words, not one singular player’s future matters until or unless the Jets select the right man to steer the ship. And unless that individual is recognized and hired, nothing else matters. If or when it happens, Rodgers’s future will be dealt with in the correct fashion.
In any event, in Benigno’s eyes, it’s the media that cannot wait to ship Rodgers out of town.
“All the media wants to talk about is running Aaron Rodgers out of town,” Benigno said. “That’s really all the media wants to do. They don’t like Rodgers, (and) the nonsense that he was going to get benched after the Denver game … for weeks now, all we’ve heard is, ‘Well, are they going to bench him, are they going to cut him?'”
Benigno then answered his own hypothetical question with a common NSFW descriptor, which I’m sure doesn’t need to be written to be wholly translated.
Whether the media truly wants Rodgers gone or not is hardly the point. Again, for Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets—pertaining to the future—hiring the right leader to run the football operation is the only thing that matters.
