On Tuesday, news broke of the first Monday Night Football Game of the 2024 NFL Season, and it features two teams in opposite positions. The NFL seems to really want the New York Jets to be a relevant team again, as they've plugged them into the Monday Night Football slate to kick off the year:
The Week 1 Monday Night Football opener: New York Jets at San Francisco 49ers.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 14, 2024
For the second straight season, Aaron Rodgers returns to the Monday Night Football Week 1 opener. pic.twitter.com/TUtlhwepsP
The Jets not only play the San Francisco 49ers, but have to travel to face them. In a game against two teams in opposite spots, the Niners and the Jets could end up being quite competitive. The Jets went all-in on Aaron Rodgers beginning in 2023, but a torn Achilles in Week 1 ended their year. The 49ers have a stud QB on a rookie contract in Brock Purdy, and make a run to the Super Bowl last year.
The New York Jets have the longest active playoff drought streak in the NFL, and the 49ers make the playoffs like it's just getting out of bed. To be fair to the Jets, GM Joe Douglas has done a nice job at building the roster, but his huge miss on Zach Wilson in the 2021 NFL Draft forced him to get aggressive to fix the team.
The success of the 2024 New York Jets depends on Aaron Rodgers, and that's about as black as white as it can get. If Rodgers is washed-up or doesn't have "it" anymore, the Jets are not going to be good. For the 49ers, there isn't really much of a concern for them in the regular season, but they just have not been able to get over the hump in the postseason.
The Jets were in primetime in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL Season, and it did not end it a good way for them, unfortunately. They have a chance to get primetime revenge against the San Francisco 49ers.