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NEW ORLEANS — The Aaron Rodgers Era with the Jets is apparently over.
Fox sports insider Jay Glazer reported that Rodgers met with the Jets last week in New Jersey and was told that the team is moving on from him.
This is not a surprise. Things have been trending this way for months with the Jets making a change at general manager and head coach. New GM Darren Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn did not say much about Rodgers at their introductory press conference and that silence was telling.
It has been believed for a while that the team would move on from Rodgers. It would be difficult for Glenn to establish a new program with the 41-year-old Rodgers having such a big presence inside the organization.
It is unclear if Rodgers wants to keep playing, but the fact that he flew back to New Jersey to have the discussion indicates he is still considering it. Rodgers could move to another team or he could retire.
All of it is a disappointing ending to the blockbuster trade the Jets made with the Packers in April 2023 to land Rodgers. The four-time MVP provided hope to a Jets franchise that seems to be conducting a never-ending search for a franchise quarterback.
Rodgers’ first season with the Jets began with much fanfare with “Hard Knocks” cameras in training camp and an electric introduction before their Week 1 game against the Bills on “Monday Night Football.”
It all came crashing down four plays into that game, though, when he tore the Achilles tendon in his left ankle.
The Jets struggled with Zach Wilson, Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian taking turns trying to replace Rodgers, who held out hope of returning in December if the Jets were in contention. They were not, though, and he did not play again in 2023. The Jets finished 7-10, ratcheting up the pressure on everyone going into 2024.
Rodgers was able to stay healthy this season, starting all 17 games but his play was uneven. Leg injuries hindered his play for a long stretch of the season and he struggled to find chemistry with young stars Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall. Rodgers ended up throwing for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions, very respectable numbers, but the team went just 5-12. Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas, the coach and GM who brought Rodgers to the Jets, were fired in October and November, respectively.
Beyond what Rodgers did on the field, there was always something going on off the field and that must be part of this decision, too. Rodgers appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” weekly and often made headlines with his views on vaccines or a feud with late night host Jimmy Kimmel. In March, Rodgers was reportedly under consideration to be Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s vice president, which then sparked a CNN story about Rodgers being a Sandy Hook denier, which he said was untrue.
Rodgers then failed to appear at June’s mandatory minicamp, choosing to take a trip to Egypt instead. During the season, Rodgers seemed to take shots at owner Woody Johnson about the timing of the Saleh firing five games into the season. He pointed out that strong franchises support their coaches, using the Lions as an example. He later joked on McAfee that he had never been cut by a teenager, a reference to the idea that Johnson’s teenaged sons have power inside the Jets.
By cutting him, the Jets will incur a $49 million dead money charge this season, unless they designated it as a post-June 1 cut. If they go the post-June 1 route, they can spread the hit over two years — $14 million in 2025 and $35 million in 2026. Glenn and Mougey may just want to eat all of the money in Year 1 of their time with the Jets. As far as cash, the Jets don’t owe Rodgers any more guaranteed money.
The Rodgers move is the first big one of the Jets offseason. It also makes a release of wide receiver Davante Adams and his $35.6 million salary likely. The Jets traded for Adams in October to reunite him with Rodgers. It is hard to see any future Adams has, or would want, with the Jets without Rodgers.
