The China Mail - Rodgers aiming high after Jets move

The 39-year-old formally completed his trade from the Green Bay Packers on Wednesday, ending his 18-year spell with the historic franchise.

"That chapter is over now and I'm excited about the new adventure here in New York," Rodgers said in a press conference.

The Jets' solitary Super Bowl triumph came in 1969, the first time the AFL-NFL championship game was known officially as the Super Bowl, although it is recognised as the third edition.

"That Super Bowl III trophy is looking a little lonely," Rodgers said, making clear he sees winning the big one as his goal.

"I'm an old guy, so I want to be at a place that can win it all and I believe we can do that here," Rodgers said.

The winning quarterback and MVP in 1969 was the Jets' legend Joe Namath, who wore the same number 12 jersey that Rodgers played in at Green Bay.

The number 12 jersey was 'retired' by the Jets in tribute to Namath so Rodgers will be the Jets' number eight, his old college number.

Namath had said he would be happy if the Jets gave Rodgers his old number if that had helped seal a trade but the Californian said that would not be necessary.

"There's some iconic names who have played here, probably none more iconic than No. 12, and I heard what he said about unretiring his number, but to me, 12 is Broadway Joe (Namath), and I didn't even want to go down that path, and I'm excited about going back to my college number," he said.

But Rodgers, a four-time NFL Most Valuable Player who won the Super Bowl with the Packers at the end of the 2010 season, said he would love to match Namath's success.

"There's something special about playing in a city, for a team like this, with a storied franchise, and obviously we're going way, way back to Super Bowl III. To be a part of something special would definitely help you go down in the history of the organization," said Rodgers.

"I already have 18 years in an incredibly iconic organization, and it'd be fun to be a part of the history of this one as well," he added.

Rodgers went into a four-day 'darkness retreat' before deciding to leave the Packers for the Jets.

The trade, involving a series of draft picks sent from the Jets to Green Bay, was a long-running saga but Rodgers said he never worried the deal may fall through.

"Not really. I believed it was gonna happen the entire time," Rodgers said. "Just a matter of, I think, waiting each other out. My intention coming out of the darkness was to pursue this opportunity," he said.

The Jets finished bottom of the AFC East last season with a 7-10 record but Rodgers believes the potential is there for a major turnaround in fortunes.

"This is an opportunity to be a part of a city that's hungry, a team with an incredible fan base that's hungry to win again. Twelve years without playoffs, not a Super Bowl win since Super Bowl III — it's been a long time. So the opportunity to be a part of something special here, it's different," Rodgers said.

"It's similar to Green Bay in that way. In a city like Green Bay and, I assume, for a team like the New York Jets, you can go down in history and there's something special about adding that to your legacy," he said.

J.Thompson--ThChM