Aaron Rodgers couldn’t become a generational player until, almost a generation ago, he waited three years to play behind Hall of Famer Brett Favre.
Three years.
Rodgers and the Jets will look across the field at a somewhat similar situation when they host the Patriots on Thursday Night Football (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video). As New England veteran Jacoby Brissett moves forward in 2024 as the starter, rookie Drake Maye is the future.
And Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner sees that as the ideal situation for Maye and the franchise.
“I believe every young quarterback would benefit from sitting, watching and having a quality veteran in that room,” Warner said Wednesday on the Pat McAfee Show. “And it’s not just about the footwork that we saw there in Jacoby Brissett teaching Drake Maye but it’s about learning how to be an NFL quarterback, how to handle the media, how to handle your teammates, how to handle your job, how to show up and do the work.”
Unlike Maye, rookie starters Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix are navigating bumpy roads, thrown into starting roles in Week 1. Through two weeks, that trio has a combined 1-5 record. What’s more, quarterbacks taken first overall in 2021, 2023 and 2024 – Trevor Lawrence, Bryce Young and Williams, respectively – are also 1-5 this season with a combined 58.8 passer rating, five interceptions and one touchdown pass. The Panthers this week benched Young after just 18 starts.
Warner says a lot of young quarterbacks enter the league not knowing what they don’t know.
“They want to do it. They want to learn how to work, they want to learn how to take notes, they want to learn what these pros do to be great, but they don’t know how. And then you throw them in there and go, ‘Well, you don’t really know how to play quarterback and you don’t really know how to study, and don’t really know what it’s like to be an NFL quarterback — but here’s the ball; go do all of it and be successful right off the bat.’ It’s impossible.”
Warner reminded viewers that Patrick Mahomes sat for a year behind Alex Smith and, in addition to Rodgers learning behind Favre, Warner himself sat behind Trent Green with the Rams.
Maye likely won’t see his first NFL snaps on Thursday during a short week, and odds aren’t good he would make his debut next week at San Francisco. But regardless of when he starts, his situation is a rarity in today’s NFL.