Jets to open 2024 NFL season on ‘Monday Night Football’ at 49ers

Aaron Rodgers’ return will come in familiar territory.

Rodgers and the Jets will open the 2024 season on the road against the 49ers on “Monday Night Football.”

It is the second straight year the Jets have opened the season on “Monday Night Football.”

Last year, the Jets opened at home against the Bills and saw their season evaporate before them when Rodgers tore his left Achilles tendon on the fourth play of the game.

The Jets would go on to win the game, but the season-ending injury to Rodgers overshadowed it.

Rodgers tried to return in 2023 but could not make it back to the field and the Jets went 7-10, missing the playoffs for the 13th straight season.

Rodgers’ first game back is now scheduled to be close to home for Rodgers. He grew up in Chico, Calif., and went to college at Cal in Berkeley.

This is not a soft opener for the Jets. The 49ers went 12-5 last season and won the NFC.

They suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the Super Bowl, falling 25-22 in overtime to the Chiefs.

This also marks a return to San Francisco for Jets coach Robert Saleh, who was the 49ers defensive coordinator from 2017-20 before taking the Jets job.

Saleh and 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan remain close and this will be Saleh’s first game against his old team.

Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was a third-round pick of the 49ers in 2000 and played for them from 2000-09.

The full NFL schedule is being released on Wednesday. One thing to watch with the Jets opening in California is whether they stay on the West Coast for Week 2.

They have a game in Arizona against the Cardinals this season.

If the NFL makes that the Jets’ Week 2 game, they could stay out west to practice that week.

The main focus that week will be on Rodgers’ return, and there are some interesting ties between Rodgers and the 49ers. San Francisco had the No. 1 overall pick in 2005 and chose Alex Smith over Rodgers.

Rodgers is 6-3 in the regular season against the 49ers as the Packers quarterback, but has gone 0-4 against them in the playoffs, including two games with Shanahan as the 49ers coach.

Leonard Floyd, who sacked Rodgers on the play he was hurt last season, is now a member of the 49ers.