Aaron Rodgers and Sauce Gardner's texts go viral as Jets pull off blockbuster trade

It is official: Aaron Rodgers is now a Jet. The longtime Green Bay quarterback has been traded to New York for a bevy of draft picks in the biggest move of the 2023 offseason. But for one of his future teammates, this was a long time coming.

Shortly after the news of the trade was announced, Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner posted a screenshot of a text conversation between himself and Rodgers last month, envisioning the two of them wearing the same jersey:

Gardner: (shows a cheesehead)

Rodgers: Lol. Why do you still have that?

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Gardner: I envisioned this. I knew it was gonna be a chance you become a Jet I'm waiting for you to become a Jet so I can burn it & we can win a Superbowl together

Rodgers: Would be a pretty sick story wouldn't it?

This will not be the first time a Jet has fantasized about a Super Bowl victory for the team. Joe Namath famously did it ahead of Super Bowl III, and then the Jets upset the Baltimore Colts to legitimize the game. It remains to be seen if Rodgers and Gardner can fulfill the story they have envisioned.

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Sauce Gardner wearing a cheesehead after the Jets upset the Packers

In Week 6 of the 2022 season, the New York Jets upset the Green Bay Packers, and Sauce Gardner decided to celebrate by wearing a cheesehead (pictured above). Around five months after that game, the Jets and Rodgers began speaking about a trade, and Gardner "made up" with Rodgers by promising to burn the cheesehead if they became teammates:

Three days later, he fulfilled that promise in a YouTube video that also featured running back Breece Hall and wide receiver Garrett Wilson:

The rest, they say, is history.

Rodgers announced his intent to play for the Jets on The Pat McAfee Show. After a month of negotiations and false alarms, Gang Green now has its man, and it will be interesting to see how the veteran quarterback fares with his new team.

About the author

Andre Castillo is an NFL journalist at Sportskeeda who holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Master’s degree in Journalism. He has over seven years of working experience and has also covered MMA with FanSided, wrestling with The Sportster, and automobiles with Hot Cars.

Andre follows the New York Jets and the Washington Commanders, mostly because he likes their colors. His favorite position is tight end, and players like Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce have always drawn Andre's attention when watching a game. Bill Belichick is his favorite coach, and his all-time favorite Super Bowl is the XLII edition, when the underdog New York Giants upset the then-undefeated New England Patriots.

If he can change one moment in NFL history, it will be from the NFC Championship Game in January 2019. In that game, a highly controversial no-call cost the Saints what would have been Drew Brees' second Super Bowl visit, where he would have faced Tom Brady and the Patriots.

Andre is always on the lookout for fresh perspectives in a story and ensures complete factual accuracy by double-checking all information before using it in his articles. He has an innate understanding of how to present information in an efficient and compelling way.

Outside the writing realm, Andre is a professional licensed teacher. His hobbies include watching UFC, MotoGP, playing the piano, and travelling.

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Edited by SO