The New York Jets made the anticipated — and proper — choice to formally half methods with quarterback Aaron Rodgers this week, however not with out the long run Corridor of Famer making one final plea to stay because the crew’s signal-caller.
In keeping with a report from the New York Submit on Saturday, in his remaining assembly with Jets administration, Rodgers pleaded with them to offer him no less than one other yr or two to stay with the group as its quarterback.
It clearly didn’t work, and the Jets formally moved on.
Rodgers will nearly actually by no means admit to that form of exit, but it surely is smart why he may make that form of plea to stay with the crew regardless of two forgettable and disappointing seasons.
For one, if he may have persuaded the Jets to maintain him, he would have been below contract for $37.5 million throughout the 2025 season.
Rodgers should know that there is not one other crew within the NFL that’s prepared to offer him something near that quantity — not after the way in which he performed in 2024.
He’s going to show 42 late subsequent season, and his groups have received simply 13 of the previous 34 video games he has began and accomplished. It is not an important current observe report, and it isn’t prone to get higher sooner or later as he will get older.
Rodgers may additionally have a troublesome time discovering a brand new dwelling in any respect. The groups out there for a quarterback this offseason are nearly actually going to be on the lookout for a youthful, long-term possibility on the place. The one quarterback-needy crew that’s even within the universe of contender standing is the Pittsburgh Steelers, they usually could not wish to take care of the sideshow circus that Rodgers brings to city. They’re additionally most likely on the lookout for long-term stability — or no less than an inexpensive short-term possibility.
Even when he does discover a crew with a mutual curiosity, it is unlikely he’ll get the form of energy and management he appeared to have with the Jets.
When the Jets acquired Rodgers previous to the 2023 season, the hope was that he may assist flip the franchise into an on the spot contender. The Jets constructed the whole lot round what Rodgers needed, proper right down to the offensive coordinator, and introduced in a number of of his most well-liked former teammates from Inexperienced Bay.
The complete ordeal turned out to be a multitude. Rodgers tore his Achilles simply 4 performs into his Jets profession and missed the rest of the 2023 season. When he returned in 2024, he was a shell of his former self. The Jets received fewer video games with him (5) than they did within the two earlier seasons (seven wins every in 2022 and 2023).
Together with the off-field distractions and chaos that Rodgers constantly introduced, the complete factor was a bitterly disappointing ordeal — even by New York Jets requirements. Everyone might be comfortable to have a brand new quarterback in 2025, whoever it is perhaps.
