Well, folks, if you tuned into Sunday’s Jets-Bills game hoping to see Aaron Rodgers hit that golden 500th touchdown pass milestone, you might want to sit down, pour yourself a stiff drink, and maybe cue up some sad violin music. Because instead of fireworks and celebratory high-fives, Rodgers delivered a performance that’ll be remembered for all the wrong reasons.
Let’s set the scene: Rodgers, a four-time MVP, a Super Bowl champion, and one of the most talented quarterbacks in NFL history, walked onto the field with hopes of etching another accolade into his already glittering legacy. But instead of adding another milestone to his résumé, he added… well, another sack. Actually, four more of them.
And here’s the kicker—Aaron Rodgers is now the most sacked quarterback in NFL history. Yep, you read that right. After Sunday’s four-sack debacle, Rodgers has been dragged to the turf 568 times over the course of his career, surpassing Tom Brady’s previous record of 565. And listen, if you’re beating Brady at anything, you usually want it to be something like “Super Bowl wins” or “avocado ice cream endorsements,” not career sacks.
Rodgers has now played in 247 career games and been sacked an average of 2.3 times per game. That’s a lot of bruises, a lot of ice baths, and probably more than a few muttered curses in the huddle. For comparison, Tom Brady—who played 23 seasons—was sacked 565 times across 335 games.
And let’s not forget Russell Wilson, who’s lurking in the background with 556 sacks and could very well leapfrog Rodgers if the Broncos’ offensive line continues to resemble a turnstile at rush hour.
But here’s a fun historical footnote: Fran Tarkenton, the scrambler supreme who played in an era where quarterbacks were basically fair game for defensive linemen, technically holds the unofficial record. The NFL didn’t start counting sacks as an official stat until 1982, and historians credit Tarkenton with being sacked somewhere north of 580 times. If Rodgers keeps up this pace, he could very well “earn” that dubious crown before the season wraps up.
But let’s not put all of this on Rodgers’ shoulders—or in this case, his back. The Jets have had an atrocious season. Sitting at 4-12 with one game left, the team hasn’t sniffed the playoffs since 2010 and hasn’t had a winning season since 2015. It’s been nearly a decade of heartbreak for Jets fans, who were promised a brighter future when Rodgers arrived in New York.
Instead, they’ve gotten a quarterback who’s spent more time horizontal than vertical. Rodgers has been sacked 37 times this season alone, and if he manages to stay upright against the Dolphins next week, it’ll be nothing short of a miracle.
But let’s zoom out for a second and remember who we’re talking about here. This is Aaron Rodgers. The same guy who threw 51 touchdown passes in 2020. The same guy who’s pulled rabbits out of his helmet more times than we can count. But even legends need protection.
In 2012, Rodgers was sacked 51 times. In 2010, he hit the turf 50 times. And while those Packers teams could at least offset the punishment with playoff runs and Super Bowl dreams, the Jets… well, they’ve got none of that right now.
The big question hanging over MetLife Stadium isn’t just about Rodgers’ sack count—it’s about the future of this franchise. Rodgers was brought in to be the savior, the missing piece of a championship puzzle. But what happens when your savior spends half his time staring at the sky from the ground?
The Jets need to figure out their offensive line issues, and they need to do it yesterday. Because if Rodgers is going to have any chance of leading this team to success—and if Jets fans are going to have any chance of seeing a playoff game before the next lunar eclipse—it starts with keeping No. 8 on his feet.
