EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Shortly after 8 p.m. ET, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers emerged from the tunnel waving an American flag -- the last player introduced before a raucous crowd of 83,000 at MetLife Stadium. The building looked like a giant nightclub, with a machine pumping smoke into the air and fans waving green LED lights.
This was supposed to be the start of a special season, with Rodgers -- a future Hall of Famer -- lifting the star-crossed franchise to new heights.
Twenty-five minutes later, he was helped off the field by two members of the Jets' medical team.