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Jets introduce new coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey
The most surprising thing about the latest Aaron Rodgers offseason saga is that people are surprised it’s taking him this long to make a decision.
Have these people who insisted he had to make a decision on Wednesday, after the start of the new year, been living in the ... darkness for the last 10 years.
Rodgers is going to draw this out as long as possible, just like he did when he played coy about his future for his final two months with the Jets. Just like he did when he was 90% retired two years ago before saying he wanted to get traded to the Jets (a trade that took six more weeks to get done). Just like he did after he won back-to-back MVPs and contemplated retirement after each.
The Giants and Steelers are getting a taste of what it’s like living with Rodgers on a daily basis. But there are two sides to that Rodgers coin: as annoying as he can be, he’s not the toxic, divisive figure in the locker room that some portray him as.
So when new Steelers cornerback Brandin Echols, who played the last two seasons with the Jets and Rodgers, was asked this week if he was recruiting Rodgers to Pittsburgh, Echols didn’t hesitate.
“Hell yeah,” Echols told reporters at his introductory news conference in Pittsburgh. “Tell his ass come on.”
Echols, whose most famous Jets moment likely came after he intercepted Tom Brady three years ago and asked him to sign the ball after the game (his final game at MetLife). Brady was so taken aback that he actually did it.
So it’s not surprising that he quickly got on Rodgers' radar. And Echols, admittedly wasn’t sure what to think.
“When he first got there, I couldn’t really feel him out,” Echols told reporters. “But after a while we kind of gravitated toward each other in practices. He started to try and attack me, but it was for the betterment of me. And I will say, having him around, it did make me a better football player.”
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Rodgers targeted Echols on the field, but he also spent time explaining to all the Jets’ young cornerbacks what they were doing to tip him off to their coverages. It doesn’t change the fact that his time with the Jets was an epic, all-time failure. But it’s good to remember that Rodgers didn’t spent every single day in Florham Park racking up soul crushing losses and Pat McAfee show appearances, even if it felt like those are the only two things he did really well and frequently with the Jets.
An while he’s not one of the guys, he’s approachable and available for his teammates. And, most importantly, many of those guys, like Echols, still believe there’s some magic in there.
"I think he played good, especially towards the end of the season," Echols told reporters. “I wish the outcome [with the Jets] was a little better, but towards the end of the season he started to really wake up.”
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Andy Vasquez may be reached atavasquez@njadvancemedia.com.