Jets’ ‘Hard Knocks’ Episode 1 recap: Aaron Rodgers takes the spotlight

The scene, as Aaron Rodgers strolled throughout the Atlantic Well being Coaching Middle discipline for a Jets coaching camp observe, captured every little thing that has modified for the franchise since that March declaration by the quarterback and that April commerce. 

Followers welcomed Rodgers to New York. Claps became a standing ovation. Jets teammates sensed the distinction, too, and as working again Michael Carter stretched, he joked, “You see how they go loopy for Aaron?” 

“You all haven’t seen this earlier than, have you ever?” Rodgers requested quarterback Zach Wilson, warming up because the followers continued to chant the 39-year-old’s identify. 

It didn’t take lengthy for the primary episode of “Onerous Knocks” to function Rodgers, together with the aura that traveled with him from Inexperienced Bay to Florham Park and the large expectations the Jets now face in 2023.

The opening scene of Episode 1, which premiered Tuesday evening on HBO, lower from Joe Namath’s Tremendous Bowl III celebration to Rodgers strolling into the Jets’ observe facility for the primary time.

Rodgers’ coaching camp reps and his teaching insights throughout the Corridor of Fame Recreation final week made appearances, too. 

“He’s clearly the very best quarterback I’ve ever had on my group,” head coach Robert Saleh stated throughout the episode. 

After one of many Jets’ coaching camp periods, defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was seen gathering his gamers for a gathering.

The offense had simply ended the session with Rodgers throwing a cross to broad receiver Allen Lazard in the long run zone, and the protection — in addition to Ulbrich — had dropped to the bottom for pushups. 

“How the grass style,” broad receiver Garrett Wilson yelled as he weaved out and in of the defenders. 

However Ulbrich wasn’t mad.

There was nowhere for Rodgers to go along with the ball, although he discovered a window anyway. Ulbrich understood the larger image of what had occurred — and may proceed to occur — with a future Corridor of Famer orchestrating the offense in coaching camp. 

“Guys, that is throughout the f–king discipline on the again shoulder. … I don’t know if there’s some other human on earth that may make that f–king throw,” Ulbrich stated.

“He’s our quarterback. He’s ours. He’s ours.” 

And in between the opposite scenes from the opening episode — from the back-and-forth between offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and new Broncos coach Sean Payton to Sauce Gardner’s school commencement to Rodgers’ obsession with “Onerous Knocks” narrator Liev Schreiber and a few already-released footage from the Hall of Fame Game — Rodgers’ new teammates have been seen totally fascinated by what he dropped at the group. 

Defensive lineman Al Woods known as Rodgers “cool as f–okay,” even when his portrayal on tv may appear completely different. In a group assembly close to the start of the episode, Saleh stated that these aren’t the “standard Jets.” 

The underlying cause for that swap, Rodgers, sat in entrance of Saleh carrying his No. 8 jersey, leg perched up on one other seat, trying simply as younger and energized as any of the others surrounding the latest — although he’s the oldest and most achieved — member of the Jets.

Payton makes an look

In the course of the “pylon sport,” which Rodgers stated the quarterbacks will play to cross the time following the walk-through, a key half turns into the “psychout,” which is a reference to the Nineties comedy “Baseketball.”

It’s two factors for hitting the pylon within the air.

One level for hitting it on the bounce.

However the important thing for somebody scoring zero factors may stem from heckling.

And when Hackett tried a throw, somebody away from the digital camera shouted, “Sean Payton.”

Episode 1 additionally included segments from interviews and press conferences that adopted after Payton, employed as Denver’s coach to exchange Hackett in January, broke the coach’s “code.”

He said in an interview with USA TODAY that final 12 months “may need been one of many worst teaching jobs within the historical past of the NFL,” referring to Hackett’s tenure the place he was fired earlier than the top of his first season.

Sauce Gardner’s cause for graduating school

Gardner’s graduation from Cincinnati last weekend included a cameo from former NBA star Nick Van Exel and celebrations with household, however there was an underlying cause for the second-year cornerback — and reigning defensive rookie of the 12 months — to finish his school necessities.

“It was all the time a field, I really feel like, that was unchecked,” Gardner stated. “I gotta be a frontrunner on and off the sector. I’d do a disservice if I didn’t get my diploma.”

Rodgers and Schreiber

When Rodgers was requested about “Onerous Knocks” throughout an interview at a golf match, he wasn’t thrilled concerning the Jets’ choice, apart from the truth that he’d get to fulfill Schreiber, the present’s narrator.

Schreiber confirmed as much as coaching camp in a helicopter that circled the Florham Park discipline. And as soon as Schreiber arrived, Rodgers known as him the “voice of God” and saved encouraging teammates to introduce themselves.

“You made a variety of New Yorkers very blissful,” Schreiber stated.

“To date,” Rodgers replied, earlier than the phase continued showcasing his obsession with Schreiber.

Eagles, crows and the Jets

One in every of Saleh’s motivational coaching camp speeches for the Jets concerned an eagle and crows attacking the chook.

The third-year head coach knowledgeable his gamers that as an alternative of “tearing a crow to items,” the eagle retains flying increased and better till the crows suffocate — since it could’t breathe anymore.

“Guys, we obtained an excessive amount of hype round us,” Saleh stated. We do. All types of expectations, and with nice expectations, we all know that there’s going to be a complete lot of individuals, a complete lot of crows, anticipating us to fall on our face.

“What are you doing to seek out that little bit extra to get us nearer to being a fantastic f–king group? You end observe, now what? You end conferences, now what? Lifting, now what? A rep, now what?

“And if we come collectively and we problem ourselves to perform a little bit extra every single day, the crows, they’ll fall by themselves.”