Having spent 18 years in Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers finally decided to enter a new chapter in his career. Signing with the Jets in 2023, Rodgers left the Packers winning four NFL MVPs and one Super Bowl title. Although he would go down as a Packers legend by the time he finishes his career, Rodgers didn’t win a lot of hearts in Green Bay.

Michael Bennett Jr, who played for the Patriots and among other franchises, came up against Rodgers Green Bay several times in his career. And having shared the locker room with the seven-time Super Bowl Champion, Tom Brady, Bennett exposed what it felt like going up against Rodgers. Catching up with ex-NFLer Julian Edelman on the podcast Games with Names, Bennett expressed, “Aaron is like a really competitive person too, so like if you make a good play he’d be like good job you know what I mean or like something like he’d be mad, but he’d be like you’re a good player.” 

Although Bennett did say that the ex-Packers QB praised some of his players. At the end of the day, he was a hard person, “But I think Aaron Rodgers is a hard person to like, though. You know, because it’s like Tom Brady’s a lot easier person to like. You know, I feel like there’s like those people that’re like, you just like, man, this I don’t know what is about him” While the former Seahawks defensive end called Brady an easier person to know rather than Rodgers, he did give his thoughts behind it.

Calling him a ‘Great Student of the game,’ Bennett pointed out how none of the players needed a Pro Bowl to earn Brady’s respect, “He is the type of player that you don’t have to have Pro Bowls for Tom Brady to respect you. You just have to be a good player, like a player that did something great.” Well, it’s not the first time Rodgers has found himself being called out for being a hard person to go around with.

There was a former NFL general manager who called Rodgers selfish and not well-liked by people around him, “The Guy’s selfish. Teammates don’t like him. Coaches don’t like him. It’s all about Aaron. They all deal with him, because he’s a superstar. He helps guys make money and put food on the table for their kids, and people respect him for that.” Seeing Rodgers exposed for his antics in the NFL, he still carries the same values in New York. As former NFL players continue to bash him for his lack of leadership in green and white.

Aaron Rodgers slammed for lacking leadership in Jets colors

Playing his first full season with the Jets this year, Rodgers hasn’t had the greatest of starts as he would have expected. Although the Jets currently find themselves 2nd in their division, having won 3 out of their 9 clashes, their season is far from being perfect. Going back to last week, the Jets were on a dismal run with their head coach Robert Saleh sacked. And them not winning five games in a row until the Texans clash came by in week 9.

This got former NFL safety Ryan Clark to bash the veteran QB for his lack of leadership leading the Jets this season, “Aaron Rodgers has every physical tool to have been the greatest quarterback to have played this game. There is something that he is missing in his intangible DNA that makes him devoid of great leadership.” Well, Clark also pointed out some key differences that will not allow Rodgers to ever match Brady’s or Peyton Manning’s legacy in the NFL.

“The spirit, the reverence, the attention to detail, the respect of those organizations was immediately magnified by the addition of those two quarterbacks.” Seeing Clark refer to Brady and Manning, they were indeed able to lead their respective new franchises to Super Bowl glory within a few years. But in Rodgers’ case, it seems highly unlikely, as the Jets aren’t the team that is slated to make the playoffs this season.

With only a few weeks left before the regular season ends, the Jets’ 13-year hiatus from playoffs may continue beyond this season. While Aaron Rodgers’ criticism as a leader continues amid his far from impressive time in New York, it seems he won’t be able to fulfil his dream of a Super Bowl this season.