ORCHARD PARK, N.Y — Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers was aiming to enter one of the NFL’s most exclusive clubs on Sunday afternoon, when the Jets faced the Bills.
But after the Jets fell behind by 40 points, Rodgers watched most of the fourth quarter from the sideline, still sitting on 499 career touchdowns and as the new owner of one of the NFL’s much-less-sought-after marks: his 568 career sacks are now the most in NFL history, putting him past Tom Brady who finished his 23-year career with 564.
“I got Tom on that one,” Rodgers said with a smile after the Jets’ 40-14 loss to Buffalo dropped them to 4-12 on the season.
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Brady sits atop the NFL’s all-time list with 649 passing touchdowns and 89,214 yards. Rodgers (who is eighth all-time in passing yards with 62,566) was seeking to become just the fifth player in NFL history to reach 500 career touchdowns, joining Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, and Brett Favre.
But it wasn’t to be with Rodgers throwing two interceptions and getting pulled for Tyrod Taylor with the game out of hand in the fourth quarter.
Still three quarters was more than enough time for Rodgers to reach the NFL’s all time sacks mark: he tied Brady in the second quarter when he was sacked by Bills defensive end A.J. Epenesa for a safety. And with 8:14 remaining in the third quarter, a combined sack by defensive end Greg Rousseau and defensive tackle DaQuan Jones put Rodgers in the history books.
He was sacked four times in Sunday’s loss to the Bills, his most since taking five sacks in the Week 4 loss to the Broncos.
Rodgers said he knew he was on the verge of the sack record after learning he was just one of Brady’s mark in Saturday’s production meeting with CBS.
He probably didn’t expect to set that mark, and then watch the fourth quarter from the bench as backup Tyrod Taylor led two touchdown drives in mop-up duty.
Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said he took Rodgers out of the game in part to protect him with the Jets down 40-0.
And Rodgers didn’t seem to have an issue with with the substitution. In fact, he says he went to Ulbrich and suggested it.
“It was 33-0, we were sitting there and I said ‘At some point you might want to go to Tyrod here, huh?’” Rodgers said. “And then the next play [Bills backup Mitchell Trubisky] threw a screen for a touchdown, and we were down 40-0.”
Ulbrich indicated that Rodgers will be the starting quarterback next weekend when the Jets host the Dolphins in the season finale.
It certainly didn’t help Rodgers on Sunday that the Jets played much of the game with a decimated offensive line; left tackle Olu Fashanu is out for the season with a plantar fascia injury and was replaced by backup swing tackle Max Mitchell, and right tackle Morgan Moses had to leave the game after aggravating a knee injury he has been since the Week 3 win over the Patriots.
Rodgers had chances on each of the Jets’ first two drives to join the 500-touchdown club. But the first drive ended when running back Braelon Allen was stuffed on fourth-and-1 from Bills 24-yard-line, forcing the Jets to turn it over on downs.
And on the Jets’ next possession, Rodgers threw an interception on second-and-8 from the Buffalo 12, when his pass, intended for Davante Adams, was tipped at the line of scrimmage and intercepted by defensive tackle Jordan Phillips.
“It could have been an explosive play,” Rodgers said. “The guy just tipped the ball.”
It was the last time Rodgers led a drive inside the Buffalo 41.
“I mean, that’s kind of the season,” Rodgers said. “It just got away from us. Too many games got away from us. This game got away from us. We were moving the ball well and just hit the wall. That’s kind of been the season.”
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Andy Vasquez may be reached at avasquez@njadvancemedia.com.
