Aaron Rodgers made a strong impression in his first game as a New York Jet, throwing a touchdown pass to rookie Garrett Wilson in a 17-10 win over the Giants on Saturday night.
Rodgers, who was traded from the Packers to the Jets in March, played only nine snaps in the preseason finale at MetLife Stadium. He completed 4 of 6 passes for 58 yards and a score, showing off his arm talent and chemistry with Wilson, the Jets’ second-round pick out of Ohio State.
The highlight of Rodgers’ brief appearance was a 14-yard touchdown strike to Wilson on the Jets’ second drive of the game. Rodgers rolled to his right and fired a laser to Wilson, who made a diving catch in the back of the end zone.
“It was a great play by him,” Rodgers said of Wilson after the game. “He’s a special talent. He’s got great speed, great hands, and he’s a smart kid. I’m excited to work with him this season.”
Wilson, who had four catches for 51 yards and a touchdown, said he was thrilled to catch his first touchdown from Rodgers.
“It was amazing,” Wilson said. “He’s one of the best quarterbacks ever, so to have him throw me a touchdown is something I’ll never forget. He’s been a great leader and mentor for me and all the young guys on this team.”
Rodgers said he felt comfortable in the Jets’ offense, which is led by new coordinator Mike LaFleur, who was his quarterbacks coach in Green Bay from 2017 to 2018.
“I think we have a lot of potential in this offense,” Rodgers said. “Mike has done a great job of installing the system and getting us on the same page. We have a lot of weapons and a lot of versatility. I think we can be explosive and efficient.”
The Jets will open their regular season on Sept. 10 at Carolina, where they will face former quarterback Sam Darnold, who was traded to the Panthers in April.
