With all of the offseason excitement, there’s been a different buzz around the Jets heading into the 2023 season.
After a busy offseason, headlined by the trade for future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers, many have been naming Gang Green as a potential Super Bowl contender. It’s not just media and fans who have those aspirations.
Jets players have heard all of those talks all offseason, and early on in training camp, they are embracing the sky-high expectations.
“The expectations being high is what we strive for as athletes, we love that. We want to have expectations to meet. No one wants to feel like their being slept on or anything like that and that’s the vibe around here, it’s cool,” wide receiver Garrett Wilson said.
“It puts a little chip on our shoulders.”
“It’s spectacular, that’s what you want,” Rodgers added. “You want to be part of a place that has high expectations and there’s a lot of positivity around here, which I think is definitely a good thing.”
Both Wilson and fellow wide receiver Allen Lazard, another addition to New York’s offense, went as far as openly discussing their desire to take home the Lombardi Trophy in the first year with Rodgers at the helm.
“That’s always been the main objective since I was five years old and playing the game. Just thinking about holding up that Lombardi Trophy at the end of the season in February, that’s never changed,” Lazard said.
“I ain’t gonna fake it, that’s what we play for, we play to win the game,” Wilson added. “I’m not gonna beat around the bush, we want to win a Super Bowl. You don’t make moves in the offseason like we did unless you’re trying to get there.
“That’s the mindset, we want those expectations as athletes. We love that and that’s the mindset we’re embracing at our facility. If you want to get the s--t go get it, talk about it, it’s cool.”
While Rodgers certainly loves the buzz, the veteran also understands it’s a long journey to being the last team standing in February.
“We have to temper expectation early on in camp and focus on the little things to get there. It’s a long season," Rodgers said. "It’s a journey there’s gonna be ups and downs and I think we just have to build this thing the right way."
"There’s a lot of excitement though and that’s fun."