Reports are swirling from NFL Insider that the New York Jets could release four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers in the middle of the season.
Aaron Rodgers Future Unclear With the New York Jets
The Jets season has been nothing short of a disaster so far. The team is 3-8 on the year and has fired everyone from the head coach, Robert Saleh, to General Manager Joe Douglas. The next to go? That could be future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Diana Russini of The Athletic reported that Jets owner Woody Johnson had lost faith in Rodgers’s play and his ability to lead the team and that drastic changes will be made.
“I’m told Johnson has lost confidence in Rodgers’ ability to lead the team to their first playoff berth in 14 years, a drought that stands as the longest in the major North American professional sports leagues. There are some on the team who believe everyone is simply tiptoeing around the fact that Rodgers isn’t the same player anymore. I’m told no decisions have been made yet, but it appears increasingly likely that the four-time MVP, who is banged up, could be placed on injured reserve or possibly benched over the next few weeks, signaling the end of his disastrous time with the Jets. Some around the league say they won’t be surprised if Rodgers is cut in-season.”
Rodgers has thrown for 2,442 yards, 17 touchdowns, and seven interceptions this season, but it’s been clear each week that his play needed to be better for the Jets this season.
For draft positioning purposes, it makes sense to bench Rodgers. For the rest of the season, New York should focus on positioning themselves as best they can for the 2025 offseason. Top draft assets and young talent on the roster will appeal to any head coach or general manager looking to get the job. The Jets will now search for a new head coach, General manager, and a new quarterback for the 2025 season.
It is also being reported that Rodgers wants to play in 2025, even though it won’t be for the Jets. It is still being determined which team will want Rodgers’s services next season, knowing that he will be 42 years old and coming off of a terrible season. Those teams will also be aware of his rocky exits from the Green Bay Packers and eventual exit for the Jets and wonder will the juice be worth the squeeze. The best for Rodgers could be for him to retire, and with the way the 2024 Jets season has gone, a case could be made that he should’ve retired after tearing his Achilles in the 2023 season.
Undoubtedly, Rodgers is a Hall of Famer; He has a Super Bowl, four NFL MVP awards, and multiple Pro Bowl selections. However, his play has been of someone who today’s NFL has passed by.
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