Four-time NFL Most Valuable Player Aaron Rodgers completed five of eight passes with one touchdown Saturday in a brief NFL pre-season game appearance for his new team, the New York Jets.
Jets fans gave Rodgers a standing ovation as he entered the contest -- even though it was nominally a home game for the New York Giants, who share the same stadium.
Rodgers launched his night with a 10-yard pass to Garrett Wilson and connected with Wilson for a 14-yard TD as he conducted two offensive drives in a game the Jets would go on to win 32-24.
Rodgers, who spent the first 18 seasons of his career with the Green Bay Packers, hadn't played a pre-season game since 2018.
But four months after he was traded from Green Bay Rodgers had said a trial run with his new team made sense.
"I think over the years, it just hasn’t made sense based on a number of different factors, but I used to enjoy playing the pre-season back in my younger years, just to kind of maybe take that first hit or feel kind of the nerves in the first drive, so I look forward to being out there," he said before taking the field for the Jets' final pre-season game.
Rodgers came under pressure twice over the course of his nine snaps but wasn't sacked.
There were two pressures on Rodgers, but he avoided being sacked during his nine snaps.
Rodgers did exchange words with linebacker Jihad Ward after Ward bumped him in the wake of a pass completion and again after Rodgers' touchdown throw.
The Jets open their season on September 11 at home against the Buffalo Bills before playing the Cowboys in Dallas.
The Jets are hoping he can help them end the NFL's longest playoff drought at 12 years.
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