Former Jets QB makes bold Aaron Rodgers prediction

Former New York Jets quarterback and current "The NFL Today" analyst Boomer Esiason believes Aaron Rodgers and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett will thrive with Gang Green during the upcoming season. 

"You got a quarterback that has a major chip on his shoulder; you have an offensive coordinator who has to have a major chip on his shoulder," Esiason said during Friday's edition of the WFAN morning show, per Ryan Chichester of Audacy. "I’m thinking, if Aaron Rodgers stays healthy, he’s gonna have 50 touchdown passes this season, minimum." 

Esiason, who has ties to the Jets and was all over the Rodgers-to-New York story going back to the winter, was referencing how the four-time NFL Most Valuable Player dealt with multiple injury setbacks during the 2022 season and how the Denver Broncos fired Hackett this past December after he spent less than one campaign as that club's head coach. Rodgers suffered a broken thumb on his throwing hand in Week 5 and later injured his ribs in Week 12. 

More recently, Rodgers "tweaked" his calf during springtime workouts. That issue isn't expected to linger and didn't prevent Esiason from predicting the 39-year-old could make some history this season. 

"He may set the touchdown pass record this year. I’m telling you," Esiason said about Rodgers.

Peyton Manning holds the record with 55 touchdown passes for a single campaign, while Rodgers tossed a career-best 48 touchdowns in 2020. 

Hackett served as Rodgers' offensive coordinator with the Packers from 2019 through the 2021 season and is looking to put his failed stint with the Broncos behind him. Esiason believes Rodgers will help Hackett achieve that goal in a big way. 

"Just because of the way he left Green Bay, the fact that Hackett got fired in Denver and couldn’t handle Russell Wilson," Esiason continued about the Rodgers-Hackett dynamic. "Think about these two guys coming together." 

If nothing else, Esiason's comments are a reminder that the high expectations hovering over the Jets since they landed Rodgers aren't disappearing.