If there is one thing that is essentially guaranteed for the New York Jets in 2025, it is that Aaron Rodgers won’t be their quarterback. Multiple reports on Sunday stated that Rodgers and the Jets will go their separate ways after a very disappointing 2024 season that saw them go 5-12.
The Jets want to handle Aaron Rodgers’ departure with class
Despite the awful season, New York still wants to handle his departure with class. SNY’s Connor J. Hughes reported that the Jets plan on approaching this situation in a respectful manner without any resentment:
“There is still a tremendous amount of respect from the Jets to Aaron Rodgers. They plan on handling the next week or so as such. He’s a four-time MVP and first-ballot Hall of Famer who chose to come to New York — that’s not lost on ownership, upper management, or this new regime. I would not expect anything ‘official’ to come from the team today/Super Bowl Sunday. That will come when time is right. With that said: Aaron Rodgers will retire or play elsewhere in 2025,” Hughes said.
Rodgers, who turned 41 during this past season, just finished his 20th NFL season fresh off of an Achilles rupture he suffered in Week 1 of the 2023 season. He stayed healthy in 2024 and played in all 17 games, which deserves a ton of credit given that his injury could’ve ended his career. However, his age showed as he looked far from his MVP self in 2024.
The Jets are still far away from Super Bowl contention
This past season, he threw 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, and boasted a 63% completion rate. Rodgers wasn’t the only reason behind the Jets’ struggles, but it is clear that are much further away from Super Bowl contention than initially perceived entering the season.
Therefore, parting ways and starting fresh is the best action moving forward for both sides. The Jets currently own the seventh overall pick in this year’s upcoming NFL Draft, which could have them in line to select a top quarterback to jumpstart their rebuild.
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As for Rodgers, it is unclear if this is where his playing career will end or if he will try to finish his illustrious career on a high note. Considering his age and steady decline in performance, retirement is becoming an increasing possibility. It is worth noting that teams that are in need of a quarterback this offseason are much more likely to take on a young quarterback as opposed to an aging Rodgers.
The thing that is the most clear is that the Aaron Rodgers era in New York is on its way to being officially over, and the Jets will now head back to the drawing board as they look to start over after a failed experiment.
