EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. >> Justin Strnad had a day to remember.

After his first career sack came on his first defensive snap since 2021, though, the Broncos inside linebacker’s mind was anywhere but on his own achievements.

Strnad grew up near Tampa, Fla. and has family and friends all over the area impacted in recent days by Hurricane Helene.

He had dozens of those folks at Raymond James Stadium a week ago — maybe close to 100, he estimated after the game — and then watched helplessly from The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia as the hurricane made landfall and impacted his home area heavily.

“My house took some damage,” said Strnad, whose family lives in Dunedin. “I have a couple of places that took some damage, but compared to some of my friends and family, it’s not even close to what they’re going through.

“I can’t thank my family enough. My family was over at my house the day after cleaning up, taking everything out of the garage, doing everything. Their support and everything they’ve done for me, I can’t thank them enough.”

On the field, the fourth-year linebacker authored the best game of his career in Denver’s 10-9 win against the New York Jets. After two-plus seasons of playing exclusively on special teams, Strnad had a blitz called for him by defensive coordinator Vance Joseph on the first snap of the game.

Strnad came free, saw No. 8 in green looking the other way and had a simple thought flash across his mind.

“I think I’m about to sack Aaron Rodgers,” he said.

Indeed, he did. It set the tone for a dominant defensive outing. Not bad for a guy who likely would have much rather been helping with cleanup efforts in Florida.

“Everyone believed in me — everybody’s always believed in me back home and you’ve got to be ready for that opportunity,” Strnad said. “It took a little while to get it, but I’m glad I did.”

Badie carted to locker room >> Running back Tyler Badie was immobilized on the team’s sideline and carted to the locker room with an apparent back injury during the first quarter of Sunday’s road win.

Head coach Sean Payton declined to provide an update on Badie’s status after the game, repeatedly saying, “no update” to questions about his status and to whether he’d travel home on the team’s charter flight Sunday evening.

The injury occurred late in the first quarter when Badie took a hit to the back from New York linebacker Quincy Williams, resulting in a fumble and a Jets recovery.

Williams’ helmet hit Badie directly in the lower side/back area. Badie was able to walk to the sideline but soon after went to the ground and eventually found himself laying flat on his back as training staff attended to him.

Running back Javonte Williams came over to check on him, but after a time on the ground the medical staff placed Badie on a stretcher and immobilized him.

Then he was loaded on a cart and driven across the field toward the Denver locker room. The Broncos ruled out his return to the game fairly quickly but provided no further updates on Badie’s condition.

“Only thing I know is I just saw him on the ground crying,” Javonte Williams told The Post after the game. “I don’t really know what happened or how it went down, but I know ‘T.B.’ is strong.

“He’s a fighter, he’s a warrior and he’s going to be alright. We’re all praying for him and I know he’ll get back and help us out.”

Badie, a former Missouri standout, was promoted to the 53-man roster on Wednesday after he rushed for 70 yards on nine carries in a 26-7 win over the Buccaneers in Week 3.

“T.B.’s always been a fighter so I know he’s going to figure something out and come back and compete and keep pushing everybody and you never know what can happen,” Williams said.

Mims returns after hit >> Broncos return man Marvin Mims Jr. took a crushing hit from Jets wide receiver Irvin Charles on a punt in the first half.

Mims was looking up to catch the ball and signaled for a fair catch, but before the ball arrived Charles blasted him. Mims had an injury to his ribs, the team said, but he later returned to the game.

It was one of 13 enforced penalties against the Jets, who had 90 penalty yards on the afternoon.