Ryan Clark admits giving Aaron Rodgers’ Jets 6 primetime games is basically ‘setting them up for failure’

The New York Jets are coming off one of the worst NFL games with a still fragile condition as the team gets ready for the 2024 regular season. However, based on the schedule of the upcoming season, the franchise’s aim to qualify for the playoffs seems rather tough– so believes sports analyst Ryan Clark. 

The recently recovered Aaron Rodgers is set to start the most number of primetime games, which is 6 out of 11 first weeks as per the schedule. But that is if he doesn’t endure another season-ending injury which might even force an early retirement for the 40-year-old quarterback. 

Given the intense and one of the largest fanbases with Rodgers’ prominence, the count of primetime games seems justified. However, Clark doesn’t believe in that, as he expressed his strong views on how this can cause another season of failure for the Jets. 

How Aaron Rodgers’ Jets’ early spotlight could spell trouble

In the recent episode of First Take, the former NFL safety argued that the Jets’ current condition is not ready to take so much pressure early in the season, resulting in another disappointment for the fans. 

The big thing about what Aaron Rodgers does is, he does provide intrigue for week one. You want to see who he is going to be, what will he be as the Jets quarterback, how will he affect to this team when he comes to wins and losses. I think my issue is more as the season goes along. There are all of these built-in mechanisms of flexing games having opportunities to move.

Ryan Clark said

Clark believes it would have been better if quarterback Rodgers got the platform to prove himself again later in the seasons with the primetime games. In that way, he and the Jets would have been in the rhythm of the games and triumphs with easy matchups and earned the place to play in the primetime games.

To me, giving them six primetime games in the first 11 games, not only sets up the viewers for disappointment, it can set up Jets for failure. 

Ryan Clark added

There’s no reason to believe that the Jets wouldn’t live up to that standard or not qualify for the postseason as they have worked hard this offseason to solidify their offense and ensure the safe and healthy return of Rodgers. But at the same time, they had a similar case last season but Rodgers’ injury in the first week caused the whole team to collapse.

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