Why Patriots Matchup Will Be ‘A Little Weird’ For Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers knows he’s in a very unique spot at this stage in his NFL career.

Very few football players kick around in the league well into their 30s, let alone 40s. Rodgers, who will turn 41 in early December, is defying Father Time in his 20th NFL season and is one of the bigger reasons why the Jets are widely regarded as a potential playoff contender.

Rodgers will receive another reminder of his seasoned status Thursday night when New York hosts the New England Patriots, whose head coach is three years younger than the future Hall of Fame quarterback.

“It just gets a little weird when you’re playing against head coaches you’ve played against, you’re playing with guys that could be your kid, age-wise, you know,” Rodgers told reporters Tuesday, per NFL.com. “It’s a good reminder of how special it is to still be playing at 40.”

Jerod Mayo was a first-round pick by the Patriots in 2008, the year Rodgers took over as the starting quarterback of the Packers. Mayo ended his playing career in February 2016, a half-decade before Rodgers won his second straight NFL MVP Award. To put Rodgers’ longevity in even greater perspective, New England’s 54-year-old offensive coordinator, Alex Van Pelt, only was two years removed from the game when Green Bay drafted Rodgers in 2005.

So yeah, it’s easy to understand why certain matchups these days are a bit strange for the 10-time Pro Bowl selection.