“I really believe that this is where I’m supposed to be,” Aaron Rodgers said during his introductory press conference in April, following his trade to the New York Jets. And the franchise and fanbase feel the same way.

The process to bring the future Hall of Fame quarterback to the team hit overdrive in mid-March, when Rodgers announced his desire to join Gang Green during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.”

“I’ve made it clear my intention is to play and play for the New York Jets,” Rodgers, a four-time MVP, said to McAfee.

That set things into motion as the Jets and Green Bay Packers – where the 39-year-old Rodgers has spent his entire 18-year professional career – worked a deal.

Negotiations played out over the next month-plus as Jets fans anxiously awaited. Finally, in late April and just before the NFL Draft, the teams reached a deal to bring Rodgers on board.

“I want to get to know the guys and be around the facility,” said Rodgers during his introductory press conference at 1 Jets Drive in Florham Park. “Obviously, I haven’t really spent much time in Jersey outside of Teterboro [Airport]. So, I’m going to get to know the area and figure out a place to live and all that stuff. And I want to be here to do that.”

He joins a Jets roster on the rise, with a solid core of young players, but one coming off a disappointing 7-10 season for a team that has not made the playoffs since 2010. Rodgers remarked that the Super Bowl III trophy, from the last Jets championship in 1969, was looking a little lonely and he hoped to help change that.

The Jets are hoping that the star quarterback is the missing piece, helping to galvanize the organization on and off the field.

“I’m an old guy,” said Rodgers, who turns 40 in December. “I want to be part of a team that could win it all. And I believe this is a place we can get that done.”

You have to be excited

For more insight into what the arrival of a superstar of Rodgers’ ilk means for the Jets, the player himself and the area from an economic impact standpoint, NJBIZ spoke to Steve Rosner, co-founder of 16W Marketing in Rutherford, one of the nation’s leading voices on sports marketing.

The agency specializes in talent representation, with longtime clients such as Phil Simms, Cris Collinsworth, Ron Darling, Bob Papa, Boomer Esiason, Howie Long, and many more.

Rosner, a 43-year Jets season ticketholder, said as a Jets fan, first of all, you have to be excited.

“You have hope. You have one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game coming to your team,” Rosner told NJBIZ. “A team that’s built to win now.”

He noted that everybody wondering how much Rodgers – who has won two of the last four MVP trophies (2020, 2021), but battled some injuries last season – has left, which will, of course, dictate how far the Jets go with him at the helm.

Rosner also emphasized that an acquisition of this magnitude certainly adds to buzz, helping the business end of the organization on everything from ticket sales to sponsorships to marketing opportunities and more – not to mention the likelihood of more prime-time games after just a singular appearance last season.

“The excitement is here. You sell on excitement. You sell on performance,” said Rosner. “You’re also going to sell on that they’re going to get, I’m going to assume, anywhere between four and six prime-time games, when they had one last year.”

And the arrival has certainly led to a surge in activity as well as social media engagement. Since the conversation with Rosner, the Jets provided details to NJBIZ about what Rodgers’ arrival has meant for the team.

The excitement is here. You sell on excitement. You sell on performance.
— Steve Rosner, co-founder, 16W Marketing

Noting the Jets were already having a strong sales season prior to the Rodgers rumors and acquisition, the team said that things took on a life of their own after that March appearance with McAfee, marking a 250% increase in new sales since the airing.

According to the Jets:

• Total new season ticket and suite sales for the off-season are up 400% to date versus all of last year.
• Daily sales volume jumped 400% since the Rodgers deal was done.
• Season ticket renewals – already up 20% in February before the rumors – are at 95%, the strongest level since 2019.
• Group reservations are up 26% versus last year at this time, with the team noting they were first in the league in group sales last season.
• Merchandise sales for the first 30 days are projected to be $3 million.
• Page views have jumped 150% and article views are up 135% versus the same time last year.
• Rodgers’ arrival photos are the team’s most-liked Instagram post in history.

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The Jets had nearly 1 million digital views of live programming during the Rodgers introduction day, a new record. In fact, the Rodgers introductory press conference was the most viewed digital live event in Jets history, with more 750,000 aggregate views across social medial channels.

For the first two days offering Rodgers merchandise, Fanatics reported total Jets eCommerce sales of $1.2 million, with Rodgers’ sales $900,000 of that. Rodgers will wear his college No. 8 with the Jets, instead of his customary No. 12 out of deference to team legend Joe Namath.

By all measures, the debut and introduction have been a touchdown, especially Rodgers’ meeting with the media.

The player can sometimes be controversial and outspoken, which will be interesting to watch as he jumps from one of the smallest media markets to the largest. Rodgers appeared happy and relaxed at his opening press conference, exchanging back-and-forth with the media, while espousing his desire to be a Jet.

Rosner said that this is not Rodgers’ first rodeo and that he can play the game with the media when he needs to—noting that Rodgers was guarded but opened up a little bit without getting into any of the political, anti-vaccination, or other beliefs that have sometimes landed him in media firestorms.

“I would tell him, ‘Just go play and be low key,’” Rosner explained. “Don’t change who you are. If you have something to say, say it. Just be careful about how you say it. What he said in Green Bay and how that went over, it’s national of course because of social media and everything else. But, if he says something, he’s going to have 20, 25 reporters when he talks versus the handful up in Green Bay. That’s a big difference.

“I’ve represented a lot of athletes during their careers in New York, and I’m very aware about the media. They will call you out in New York,” he said.

‘Here for the foreseeable future’

Rosner believes – and is hopeful – that Rodgers will be a Jet for more than one season.

“I believe that the Jets brought him here thinking that he was going to play at least two years,” said Rosner. “And I’m hoping as a Jets fan that would be something that he would do.”

Rosner cautioned that as Rodgers hits the 40-year-old threshold, his body could break down at any time, pointing to Tom Brady’s struggles last year in Tampa.

“We’re going to get to a point where Rodgers is not going to be as good as he was before,” Rosner explained. “So, I’m just hoping it’s not after one year. If he plays for two years, I would be fine. If he played for three years, I’d be ecstatic.”

“I’m going to be here for the foreseeable future,” Rodgers said at his introductory press conference.

So far, the player has seemed to enjoy his time in the area, generating more excitement and headlines when he showed up at recent NBA and NHL playoff games at Madison Square Garden, taking in the New Jersey Devils/New York Rangers Game 6 as well as New York Knicks/Miami Heat Games 1 and 2.

During another appearance last week on McAfee’s show, Rodgers said he was having an absolute blast since joining the Jets and getting to the know area.

“It’s been so fun,” said Rodgers. “I got here Tuesday night [April 25], so today’s like a week, and it’s been a blast. It really has. To go to the hockey game, the basketball game, meet all my guys, just get to know the facility. I’m starting to look for some places to stay because they got me in the hotel right now, which is great. It’s like literally two minutes from the facility. But, man, it’s been a great week. It really has.”

While the Jets quarterback has seemingly been everywhere – including the Kentucky Derby this past weekend – he has yet to turn up at the Prudential Center, as the Devils’ postseason run continues after their defeat of the Rangers in the first round of the playoffs.

After besting the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday, 8-4 in Newark, the Devils trail that series 2-1, with a chance to knot things up when they return to the Prudential Center ice May 9.

Will that be the night Rodgers makes an appearance at The Rock?

Either way, the legendary quarterback looks happy to be a Jet and the Jets are surely happy to have him. And for the fans, it is setting the stage for some excitement this season in Florham Park and MetLife Stadium as well as more broadly here in the Garden State.

“I’m just pinching myself a lotta days. I can’t believe it’s real sometimes,” Rodgers told McAfee. “It’s been a dream for sure, just to be here. I definitely feel energized to be here.”