New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers shared on Friday that he initially turned down a phone call from wide receiver Davante Adams late Monday night before he found out that the Jets had traded for his former Green Bay Packers teammate.
According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini and Paul Gutierrez, Rodgers received a call from Adams about an hour after the Jets lost 23-20 at home to the Buffalo Bills. Rodgers didn’t answer the call because he was frustrated about the loss, but he picked up when Adams called again around 1 a.m. ET early Tuesday.
Adams was calling to tell Rodgers that he had been traded to the Jets from the Las Vegas Raiders. However, Adams said he didn’t mention the trade right away, explaining, “We actually talked about the game for a good amount of time before I said anything about being on the way.”
Rodgers confessed that he felt a bit anxious when Adams mentioned he was getting on a red-eye flight from Vegas: “[Adams] said he was getting on a plane, and I just kind of—my heart dropped. I was like, ‘To where?'”
Adams eased Rodgers’ worries by revealing the news about the trade, which helped improve Rodgers’ mood after the tough loss.
Cimini and Gutierrez noted that other teams, including the New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Buffalo Bills, were also interested in trading for Adams, so the Jets had competition.
New York came out on top by agreeing to take on Adams’ full contract and giving the Raiders a conditional third-round pick.
For the first eight seasons of Adams’ NFL career, Rodgers was his quarterback, and they developed a strong bond while playing together.
Five of Adams’ six Pro Bowl selections and two of his three First Team All-Pro honors were earned with Rodgers as his quarterback. This included 2020, when Adams achieved a career-high 18 touchdowns, and 2021, when he set personal bests with 12 receptions for 1,553 yards.
Rodgers was named NFL MVP in both of those seasons. Although he has had a rocky start this season, Adams’ arrival gives him one of the best receiving groups in the NFL, as Adams will join Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard.
With a record of 2-4, the Jets have a tough road ahead to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2010, starting with a game against the Steelers on Sunday night.
