FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Whether the New York Jets want to admit it or not, their Week 1 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers has quickly become viewed as must-see television.
With Pittsburgh's signing of four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, the game will be something the country will be watching.
Rodgers spent the last two seasons with the Jets, winning just six games as the team's starter. The former Super Bowl champion struggled with an Achilles injury, suffered four plays into the 2023 season, and could not right the ship the following year.
Due to his failure, the Jets underwent an organizational reshuffle, with Aaron Glenn hired as the head coach this offseason.
At the top of his priority list was moving on from Rodgers.
Following that decision in February, the future Hall-of-Fame QB trashed Glenn and the Jets on the Pat McAfee show.
A response?
New York has continuously shrugged off those comments throughout the offseason.
They weren't going to change just because their Week 1 opponent now has Rodgers as their starting quarterback.
"We have 17 really good games that we have to play, and I'm looking forward to playing every one of them," Glenn said on Thursday to conclude minicamp.
Whether Glenn wants to admit it or not, Week 1 will be an emotionally charged contest for several reasons outside of just Rodgers. Current Jets quarterback Justin Fields was a member of the Steelers last year and was benched by the team after a surprising 4-2 start.
Fields signed his free-agent contract with the Jets over Pittsburgh.
And Fields didn't trash Pittsburgh out the door like Rodgers did to the Jets.
In the end?
This Week 1 contest is all about the star quarterback making his return to MetLife Stadium, whether Glenn wants to admit it or not.