While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Aaron Rodgers sounded like a quarterback who knows this Sunday’s home game against the 8-8 Miami Dolphins will be his last as a member of the New York Jets.
Rodgers also hinted he could retire regardless of whether or not a new Jets regime asks him to stick around for another season.
“I need a break mentally, and I don’t want to make a decision until I’ve been able to rest mentally and physically,” Rodgers explained, as shared by Zack Rosenblatt and Cale Clinton of The Athletic. “Because really since Sept. 11 [2023], it feels like I’ve been rehabbing and training just to get to be able to play in training camp, and then obviously had the nerves of playing the first few games and kind of just getting banged up, just trying to get back on the field for many weeks until the last three or four where I felt really good. So I just need a break mentally to just kind of refresh, put my feet in the sand and see where I’m at after that.”
Rodgers essentially missed the entire 2023 season, his first with the Jets, due to a torn Achilles he suffered early into the campaign’s Week 1 game. More recently, the future Hall of Famer, who turned 41 years old in December, was slowed this season by ankle, knee and hamstring injuries. He also routinely left much to be desired with his play leading up to being benched in this past Sunday’s 40-14 blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills that dropped the Jets to 4-12.
Per Pro Football Reference, Rodgers ranks 25th in the NFL with a 48.3 adjusted QBR and 24th with a 43.8% passing success rate on the season. Meanwhile, ESPN stats show that the Jets head into Week 18 ranked 24th in the league with an average of 19.1 points scored per game.
A report from earlier this week claimed that the Jets “are expected to move on from” Rodgers after the season, in part because his relationship with team owner Woody Johnson is allegedly “irreparable.” Johnson fired Jets head coach Robert Saleh in October and general manager Joe Douglas in November. Logic suggests new leadership will want to move forward with its own chosen quarterback.
According to Andy Vasquez of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, Rodgers insisted on Wednesday his time with the Jets has “been the best two years of my life” despite the setbacks he has endured since September 2023. He also mentioned he’s “resigned to the reality of the situation” that change is coming to the organization.
Russ Weakland and Oliver Salt of the Daily Mail reported that Rodgers could look to join the Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans or Las Vegas Raiders if he’s shown the door by the Jets. However, at least one unnamed general manager believes Rodgers could struggle to find a new NFL home considering his age, injury history and recent lackluster play.
“This game has given me a lot,” Rodgers added on Wednesday. “And I’ve given a lot back to it. And I’m thankful for it.”
