In the annals of NFL history, some quarterbacks soar like F-16s, while others struggle to get off the runway. As the New York Jets prepare for what they hope will be a ‘Flight to Remember’, their new pilot, Aaron Rodgers, finds himself in a holding pattern. He’s got the cockpit skills, but is he cleared for landing in the pantheon of all-time greats? Mark Schlereth’s recent hot take on ‘The Stinkin Truth’ podcast might just ground that notion faster than a New York minute.

Schlereth, never one to sugarcoat his words, served up a spicy dish of NFL reality. “Let me ask you this,” he began, setting up his verbal blitz. “Aaron Rogers, a four-time MVP, one Super Bowl, right? We called the Green Bay Packers the dynasty that never was.” Ouch!

But Schlereth wasn’t done. He painted a gridiron picture worthy of a Broadway play. “If you invite the greatest quarterbacks of all time to dinner and there’s you know it’s like Thanksgiving and there’s one main table and then the kids table on the side, Aaron Rogers is sitting at the Kids Table.” Talk about unnecessary roughness!

Let’s break it down like a Jets defense facing Tom Brady. Rodgers has put up video game numbers: 59,055 passing yards, 475 touchdowns, and a 65.1% completion rate. He’s got four MVP awards and a Super Bowl ring. Not bad for a player who spent three years warming the bench behind Brett Favre.

But in the NFL, rings are the thing. Brady, the GOAT in many eyes, has more rings than fingers with seven Super Bowl wins. He’s also got five Super Bowl MVPs and holds records for most passing yards (89,214) and touchdowns (649) in NFL history. Joe Montana, “Joe Cool” himself, went a perfect 4-0 in Super Bowls, tossing 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions on the biggest stage. That’s more clutch than Joe Namath‘s famous guarantee.

When it comes to multiple Super Bowl-winning QBs, the list reads like a Who’s Who of NFL royalty. Terry Bradshaw and Montana each have four rings. Troy Aikman and Tom Brady both led their teams to three championships in four years. Even Eli Manning, often the butt of jokes, managed to snag two rings. It’s an exclusive club, and Rodgers is still waiting at the velvet rope.

Is Aaron Rodgers in a situationship with the Jets?

While Rodgers is trying to write a new chapter with the Jets, some question if he’s even holding the pen. Torry Holt, speaking on ‘The Herd with Colin Cowherd’, threw a flag on Rodgers’ play some weeks back.

“This is totally for me unacceptable,” Holt said, referring to Rodgers skipping the mandatory minicamp. “The message that I think that it’s sending to your teammates is that I’m still a little bit above everyone.” That’s about as welcome as a ‘butt fumble’ in Jets lore.

Holt, drawing from his playbook, emphasized that during his career, no key player – especially the QB – would miss such crucial team events. “I get it, he’s a fantastic player, fantastic leader. It was something family driven. We haven’t really heard. That’s the only way I’m missing Camp,” Holt added, highlighting the importance of team unity.

Meanwhile, Rodgers seems more interested in playing catch with old Packers’ buddies than bonding with his new Jets teammates. Marquez Valdes-Scantling shared a couple of weeks back, “I hit him up, told him I was coming out to L.A., and said, ‘Let’s run some routes.’ So, we got it in, went out to some high school, and ran some routes together.”

As the regular season looms, Rodgers needs to decide: Is he all in with Gang Green, or is he just window shopping? Because in the NFL, you’re either scoring touchdowns or riding the bench – there’s no middle ground. It’s time for A-Rod to show if he’s truly ready to ‘Play Like A Jet’ or if he’ll end up another cautionary tale in the Jets’ often turbulent history.