For 10 seasons, Clay Matthews and Aaron Rodgers were key members of the Green Bay Packers, leading the way on their respective sides of the ball.
Matthews, the feared outside linebacker who was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame, has since retired from the game. But Rodgers, the four-time MVP quarterback, continues playing with the New York Jets.
The success these two had together — a Super Bowl in 2011 included — is a departure from what Rodgers is seeing in New York. The Jets have not lived up to the hype since he was traded from Green Bay to New York last season.
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Matthews spoke to Fox News Digital this week, admitting it’s hard to watch his friend and former teammate struggle.
“It is tough for me to watch because there’s no bigger fan of Aaron than me,” Matthews said while also discussing his upcoming appearance at Lambeau Field with the Crown Royal Rig Thanksgiving Day. “I enjoy watching the Jets. Obviously, Davante’s been over there. I mean, they have star power up and down the offense, but, unfortunately, they just haven’t been clicking. It’s hard to watch.”
With Rodgers healed from his Achilles injury suffered on the fourth snap of the 2023 season, the expectation was the Jets would break out of their 13-year playoff drought.
AARON RODGERS PINPOINTS JETS’ BIGGEST HURDLE: ‘IT’S US AGAINST US’
Instead, they find themselves at 3-7 through 10 games, needing to virtually win out to have a legitimate shot at doing so.
As Matthews mentioned, the star power is vast when it comes to the Jets’ offense, with Davante Adams, an old friend of theirs from the Packers, the latest to join the group after a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders.
But the old connection that was so lethal in Green Bay with Rodgers has yet to break out with the Jets. And prior to Adams’ arrival, Rodgers just hasn’t found the consistency he’d like, and the record shows it.
The Jets are 26th in total offense (298.5 yards per game) and 17th in passing yards per game (211.7).
As Rodgers said on his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” the Jets’ biggest hurdle is “it’s us against us,” and Matthews knows Rodgers will be trying to lead by example behind closed doors.
“I’m not sure much words are going to help,” Matthews said.
“I think he’s just staying the course. I mean, for a guy who’s a 20-year vet, he’s been through everything. He’s battle tested, and he’s obviously still one of the best. He can make all the throws. So, I don’t know what the moral needs to be. You constantly hear the quotes of them coming out flat and what not. At this point, I’m not sure much words are going to help as far as, ‘We need to pick it up.’
“The Jets, it’s been a while since they’ve been in the playoffs. It’s been a while since I’m sure they’ve had a winning season. It needs to change, but, unfortunately, I don’t know if this is the year. Perhaps maybe they pick it up towards the latter part, but it’s tough sledding when the future looks to be bleak.”
Does the future past the 2024 campaign involve Rodgers? He’s under contract for the 2025 season, but none of the compensation is guaranteed. Rodgers could also choose to retire.
Matthews can’t see that happening, though, especially with the way this season has been going.
“Aaron’s too much of a competitor. We’ll see how he feels. Obviously, coming back after that Achilles, it seems to be behind him now. Dealing with some knee and hamstring issues that limited his mobility,” Matthews said.
“I know my last year in Green Bay, I wanted to come back and finish on a high note or at least continue it. As a competitor, you have to have that look in the mirror, so to speak. But I still think he can make all the throws and do what he needs to do.”
GIVING BACK WITH CROWN ROYAL
While Matthews is a Jets fan when it comes to supporting Rodgers, he will always be a Packer, which is why he teamed up with Crown Royal, the official whiskey sponsor of the NFL, in its fourth year of the Kick Off with Crown program.
This year, Crown Royal launched its one-of-a-kind tailgate on wheels with the Crown Royal Rig, a purple 18-wheeler touring NFL stadiums to not just wow NFL fans with players like Matthews, but to also support the military.
Matthews talked about his excitement about not only being able to return to Lambeau to mingle with Packers fans on Thanksgiving night before his former team’s game against the Miami Dolphins, but also why this tailgate is so important. Fans will be putting together care packages for military members with Crown Royal’s longtime partner, Packages From Home.
“I think what’s even more important is how Crown Royal is giving back to the military community, specifically with their Purple Bag Project,” Matthews said. “Giving away morale-boosting items to our military by giving them the packages from home.
“The Packers get a primetime game on Thanksgiving. We get to celebrate great football and giving back to our military community. It just represents everything that’s great.”
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