Jets’ dominance in primetime on 2024 NFL schedule hinges on the resurgence of their franchise player

Craig Carton detailed the league’s thought process in giving the Jets such a significant amount of primetime games to set the tone for the year, saying this on “The Carton Show” on Friday (h/t Fox Sports)

“So the NFL’s merely saying ‘we’re buying into the exact same thing we bought into a year ago that Aaron Rodgers, who for a decade was the face of the NFL, is going to kind of regain his status as one of the top, if not the best quarterback in all of football.’ If he doesn’t get hurt, the NFL’s right,” Carton said.

Jets & Aaron Rodgers earned four primetime slots in the first half of their 2023 schedule

Rodgers, 40, was expected to carry that mantle as a face of the league again in 2023 before he tore his Achilles in Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills which sidelined him for the rest of the season. The NFL gave the Jets four primetime showdowns inside of their first 10 games in 2023 with anticipation built around his relocation to New York from the Green Bay Packers.

Even at his advanced age and with his mounting injury history over the last three years, the four-time NFL MVP still carries much box office appeal and now has a revamped offensive unit around him that will have spectators flock to the TV screen on Sunday, Monday, and Thursday nights.

What the Jets’ Sunday, Monday & Thursday Night Football slate looks like for 2024

Not to mention, the Jets’ strength of schedule for their first 11 games pits Rodgers and company against a host of Super Bowl and playoff contenders. Their notable games include a battle against the reigning NFC champion San Francisco 49ers in a Monday Night Football matchup at Levi Stadium on Sept. 9 to begin the campaign. They’ll get their next taste of MNF against the Buffalo Bills on Oct. 14 and follow that up with a Sunday Night Football challenge against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 20.

They’ll finish their heavy slate in primetime against the new-look Houston Texans on Oct. 31 and the Indianapolis Colts two weeks after their Week 10 bye.

Rodgers recently set an impressive primetime NFL record that adds to his & the Jets’ massive draw

Rodgers has been a mainstay in primetime over the course of his illustrious career. He set the record for the longest winning streak in primetime in NFL history with 13 consecutive victories in the 2022 season per SB Nation’s Buffalo Rumblings.

The former Super Bowl MVP still has that it-factor that makes fans want to watch him play, at least when last seen for a full year. Barring injury, he’ll put his gun-slinging on full display with an array of receivers headlined by Mike Williams and Garrett Wilson serving as deep-ball threats and execute his patented play-action offense with breakout running back Breece Hall in the backfield.

The Jets are projected to be an exciting team and many analysts have them contending for the AFC East crown. Their primetime slate will not only put them at the forefront of coverage in the sports world but also test their readiness for the bright lights of the playoffs early on.