Aaron Rodgers Cites Mike McCarthy, Says Jets 'Biggest Struggle' is Handling Success

Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy had a fractious relationship during their time together with the Green Bay Packers, but some wisdom from the head coach stuck with the legendary quarterback.

"I go back to this quote a lot, but Mike McCarthy said, 'Our biggest struggle is going to be handling success,' back in 2006 in Green Bay, and there's a lot to that," Rodgers told reporters Wednesday. "... I think that's the mark of a great team, just can you handle the success part, with the same focus, the same mentality, the same mindset, the same energy, when you're starting to get on a little bit of a roll."

The Jets are off to a 2-1 start and their last win was a particularly emphatic performance against the New England Patriots. Rodgers went 27-of-35 for 281 yards and two touchdowns, while New York's defense held the Pats to 139 total yards.

This was the franchise's formula for success from the moment it acquired the four-time MVP. Pairing an efficient quarterback with a stifling defense can take a team deep in the playoffs.

As Rodgers said, though, he and his teammates can't get too ahead of themselves.

That won't be easy because being in the New York market means your success and failures are magnified in equal measure. The same people who reveled in mocking the Jets amid a disappointing 7-10 season will be the ones quick to anoint them as Super Bowl contenders if they get a few more wins.

Especially for a roster that hasn't achieved much collectively, tuning out the noise can be a challenge.