NFL executive explains Jets-heavy early prime-time schedule - ESPN

The New York Jets landed a record number of prime-time games over the first three months of the 2024 season because the appeal of four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers was too great to ignore, the NFL acknowledged Thursday.

«Yes, it's an awful lot of prime-time games early in the season, but, obviously, I feel like Jets kind of owe us one,» Mike North, the NFL's vice president of broadcast partners, said on a video conference with reporters.

The Jets have six night games in the first 11 weeks, the most for any team since the 1970 merger, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The NFL and its TV networks went big on the Jets last season — five games in prime time — but it backfired when Rodgers suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in Week 1.

The Jets have six night games in the first 11 weeks, the most for any team since the 1970 merger, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

«When we had this conversation a year ago, we were — all of us — all-in on the Jets, and for that guy to last four plays was disheartening for many of us,» North said. «I feel like we could run it back, and certainly our broadcast partners, when they came to us early in the process talking about what storylines they want to focus on early in the season, obviously Aaron Rodgers' return was a key one for everybody.»

North said the Jets were a «feisty» team even without Rodgers — they finished 7-10 — adding that they improved their roster this offseason. The 40-year-quarterback, eight months removed from surgery, is healthy and participating in offseason drills with no restrictions, according to the Jets.

The Jets have two games on Monday night (ESPN/ABC), two games on Sunday night (NBC) and two games on Thursday night (Prime Video). They open the «Monday Night