ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Josh Allen has long admired Aaron Rodgers, and he expressed his admiration again as Rodgers approaches a significant milestone: 500 career passing touchdowns. After a practice with the Bills on Thursday, Allen praised the Jets quarterback, stating, “That’s a spectacular stat. Aaron’s one of the, if not the best ever to throw a football.” Allen reflected on his childhood idol, saying, “He’s been an idol of mine since I was a little kid, looking up to him and wanting to be in a position like him.” As the Bills gear up to play the Jets on Sunday, he acknowledged the challenge of reaching that milestone, especially given Rodgers’ extensive experience in the NFL. “Could I envision (500 TDs)? I mean sure. But again, Year 20 I think he’s in now, it’s a lot of football,” Allen remarked.
Allen has accumulated 193 passing touchdowns as he enters the closing stages of his seventh season, indicating that he has a considerable journey ahead to match Rodgers, who stands on the brink of becoming the fifth player in NFL history to reach 500. There’s also uncertainty surrounding how many touchdowns and seasons the 41-year-old quarterback may have left in his career, a question that even Rodgers himself has not definitively addressed.
Currently, Allen and the Bills, reigning AFC East champions with a 12-3 record, are on the verge of securing the AFC’s No. 2 seed in the upcoming playoffs. In contrast, Rodgers and the Jets, struggling with a 4-11 record, face many uncertainties following a disappointing season that fell short of expectations. The team is bracing for another overhaul after the in-season dismissals of head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas. Rodgers, for his part, has been non-committal about returning for another season, indicating, “I’m still going to need some time mentally to get away from it and to see how I feel if I want to come back for a 21st season.” Under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich, the Jets have managed only two wins out of their last ten games and are poised to finish with fewer than six wins for the eighth time during a prolonged playoff drought—one that stands as the longest in North American professional sports.
Despite the struggle, Rodgers remains focused on the effort he sees from his teammates. “If I see somebody who is not doing it the right way, then I’ll say something,” he remarked, noting the importance of maintaining professionalism. “But the beauty is that everybody is watching. This is an audition for all of us.” Meanwhile, the Bills are working to strengthen their injury-plagued defense, which has given up a staggering total of 1,357 yards and allowed opponents to convert 24 of 40 third downs in their last few games. Cornerback Rasul Douglas and linebacker Matt Milano are both nearing their returns from injury.
Facing the Jets’ defense will be a significant challenge for Allen, as they have historically limited his performances. He has averaged just 215 passing yards against the Jets, with seven touchdowns and six interceptions over their last five encounters, where the Bills hold a narrow 3-2 advantage. Commenting on his previous struggles against the Jets, Allen stated, “In terms of why they’ve given me fits, I don’t feel like I’ve protected the ball too well against them in the previous years,” stressing the need for caution with the football in their upcoming matchup.
Rasul Douglas is confident about his former teammate’s determination. “Hell, no, they’re going to have to physically take his (butt) off the field,” Douglas said regarding Rodgers potentially retiring. “He’s a guy who’s probably going to be playing until he’s 50.”
Regarding Rodgers’ fruitful connection with wide receiver Davante Adams, the two have combined for 82 touchdown passes overall. This impressive total ties them with Miami’s Dan Marino and Mark Clayton for the third most touchdowns by a quarterback-wide receiver tandem in NFL history. Half of those touchdowns have come since Adams joined the Jets from Las Vegas in October.
On the injury front, Allen disclosed that he has been coping with a broken left hand, which he initially injured in the season opener against Arizona. “Yeah, it’s the left one, so it don’t really matter much,” Allen commented casually. He also mentioned a recent incident where he briefly lost feeling in his right hand after a hit, but he reported that it is feeling better now, just a bit sore.
In a blow to the Jets, rookie left tackle Olu Fashanu was placed on injured reserve, which concludes his promising first NFL season after being the 11th overall pick in the draft. After taking over the starting position from Tyron Smith, who went on IR, Fashanu’s progress was noted by passing game coordinator Todd Downing, who expressed disappointment that Fashanu could not finish the season stronger. Competition in practice this week is intensifying between Max Mitchell and Carter Warren, each vying for the chance to protect Rodgers’ blind side as the team navigates through this transitional period.
