By The Associated Press’s Dennis Waszak Jr.
New Jersey’s East Rutherford.Aaron Rodgers led the New York Jets to a 32–20 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, throwing a season-high four touchdown passes (numbers 500, 501, 502, and 503) in what may have been his last NFL game.
Rodgers, 41, is unsure if he wants to play for a 21st season, and it’s unknown if the Jets (5-12), who will have a new coach and general manager the next season, will want to continue with him.
However, Rodgers left with a victory and some history, becoming the fifth player to throw 500 touchdown passes in a regular season.
Additionally, he assisted in defeating the Dolphins (8-9), who required a win to maintain their hopes of making the playoffs. However, that became irrelevant when Denver defeated Kansas City, who rested Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, and a number of other players, to secure the Broncos’ final AFC postseason ticket.
For 274 yards and touchdown throws to Tyler Conklin, Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, and Breece Hall, as well as an interception, Rodgers completed 23 of 36.
Garrett Wilson became the only player in franchise history to record 100 receptions in a season with four catches, joining Brandon Marshall. Adams reached 1,000 yards receiving for the fifth consecutive season after catching six catches for 88 yards.
The Jets produced four takeaways from Ashtyn Davis’s two interceptions.
Tua Tagovailoa, who missed the previous two games due to a hip injury, was replaced as quarterback by Tyler Huntley for the Dolphins. Huntley had 227 yards and a touchdown on 25 of 41.
De Von Achane scored and ran for 121 yards, including a first-quarter rush of 61 yards.
In order to buy some time, Rodgers ran forward in the pocket after dropping back on first-and-goal from the five with the Jets behind 6-0 halfway through the second quarter. After that, he zipped a pass to Conklin in the end zone, becoming one of only four players with 500 regular-season touchdown passes: Brett Favre (508), Drew Brees (571), Peyton Manning (539), and Tom Brady (649).
As the entire offense erupted in the end zone, embracing the quarterback and tapping his helmet, Conklin threw the ball to Rodgers. When Rodgers arrived at the sidelines, he received additional embraces and high fives.
The Jets regained possession of the ball at the Miami 39 late in the second quarter thanks to a strip-sack by Will McDonald and a fumble recovery by Quincy Williams.
With 59 seconds remaining in the first half, Rodgers got No. 501 on a 13-yard throw to Lazard, giving the offense the opportunity to increase his career total. With the 2-point convert, Hall gave the Jets a 15–6 lead.
With 6:35 remaining in the third quarter, Greg Joseph, the Jets’ franchise-record fifth kicker this season, made a 20-yard field goal to put the score at 18-6.
Early in the fourth quarter, Achane’s 15-yard touchdown run brought the Dolphins closer.
However, Rodgers scored No. 503 on a 4-yard touchdown pass to Adams, marking the 83rd time the two have scored together. This puts them in third place among quarterback-wide receiver combinations, behind Miami’s Dan Marino and Mark Clayton. Miami wasn’t done, but it gave New York a 25–13 advantage.
With 5:21 remaining, Huntley delivered a 4-yard touchdown throw to Jonnu Smith, reducing the Dolphins’ deficit to 25-20.
With 2:30 left, Rodgers completed his spectacular day with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Hall.
Ominous start
On the field, a few dozen Jets supporters raised an upside-down banner with the team’s logo prior to the playing of the national anthem. They hurriedly folded it back up and carried it inside.
Javon Holland deflected Rodgers’ first ball on a slant to Adams into Tyrel Dodson’s hands for an interception after New York pushed Miami to a three-and-out on its first possession.
Jason Sanders’ 26-yard field goal gave Miami a 3-0 lead, but the Jets kept the Dolphins out of the end zone. At the end of the first quarter, Sanders added a 28-yard field goal.
Injuries
Jets DL Jets offensive lineman Carter Warren hurt his ankle in the fourth quarter, and Quinnen Williams departed the game in the second half due to a hamstring injury.
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