The New York Jets have been scheduled for seven standalone games, including six prime-time slots, in the first 11 weeks of the upcoming NFL season. During a Thursday conference call with reporters, Mike North, the NFL"s Vice President of Broadcast Planning, provided a candid explanation for the scheduling decision.
"Yes, it’s an awful lot of prime-time games early in the season, but I feel like the Jets kind of owe us one," North said, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. North referred to last season"s disappointment when quarterback Aaron Rodgers played only four snaps before an injury sidelined him for the year.
"When we had this conversation a year ago, we were all-in on the Jets, and for that guy to last four plays was disheartening for many of us," North added. "Our broadcast partners wanted to focus on Aaron Rodgers’s return early in the season. Hopefully, he stays healthy and they remain relevant."
Jets got six prime-time games in first 11 weeks because, as NFL put it, the Jets "kind of owe us one." But do they? https://t.co/g1LsrQbhwR
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) May 16, 2024
The challenging schedule, however, raises concerns about Rodgers" ability to stay healthy. The Jets will play three games in the first 10 days of the season, including two games with only four days of rest in between. This is a significant burden for any team, let alone one relying on a quarterback who will turn 40 during the season.
The notion that the Jets "owe us one" is unusual, as the team did not intend to have a disastrous season and certainly did not benefit from Rodgers" injury. They were hoping for a successful season with Rodgers leading the team. It seems unrealistic to assume a 39-year-old quarterback would remain healthy all season, and expecting it this year might be overly optimistic.
To capitalize on the anticipated return of Rodgers, the NFL has front-loaded the Jets" schedule with prime-time games before their Week 12 bye. If Rodgers stays healthy and the Jets remain contenders, they could see even more games moved to prime-time slots later in the season.
Regardless of how the season unfolds, it seems unfair for the Jets to be put in a tougher position this year because of last year"s misfortunes. While it’s important for the NFL to appease broadcast partners and maximize ratings, burdening the Jets and their aging quarterback with numerous night games and short-week games in the first half of the season feels excessive.
