The Jets will play their last recreation of the season towards the Dolphins this weekend.
Nevertheless, this week, the main target has been on Aaron Rodgers and his doable future with the Jets or with one other group in 2025.
Throughout his availability on Wednesday, Rodgers seemed like he is aware of his days with the Jets are seemingly numbered.
“Just a lot of gratitude for the last 20 years and the countless lives I’ve encountered and the amazing teammates and coaches I now call friends,” Rodgers stated. “Experiences I’ve had, great memories and the amount of great people that impacted my life.
“I’m not thinking about that on game day, I’ll just be enjoying this. It’s been a long career I’m really proud of. What I’ve been a part of and what I’ve accomplished. Also looking forward to a nice mental and physical rest.”
When the Jets acquired Rodgers, 41, in April of 2023, the staff dreamed of bringing a second Lombardi Trophy to the group. The 2023 season was a wash for the Jets after Rodgers tore his Achilles, 4 performs into the debut and the staff completed 7-10.
With Rodgers coming back from his damage, the Jets had been favorites to win the AFC East and to contend for a Tremendous Bowl. Nevertheless, the four-time NFL MVP has battled hamstring, knee, and ankle accidents at numerous factors this season. The Jets have been eradicated from playoff rivalry since Dec. 8 and are presently 4-12.
Along with that, Rodgers hasn’t performed as much as his regular commonplace. He’s twenty fifth out of 33 certified passers in Complete QBR (48.3) with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Rodgers additionally has a career-low of 6.6 yards per passing try.
Regardless of his lack of success since becoming a member of the Jets, Rodgers says he appreciates the group.
“It’s been the best two years of my life,” Rodgers stated. “That’s a perspective adjustment that happened, I think, at some point during the rehab process last year, but just the excitement,” Rodgers stated. “Falling back in love with the game, getting to know these guys in here, getting to know the great men and women that work here, been a lot of fun.
“It’s obviously, on the field has been short of expectations, no doubt, but this game is more than just that. This game is about the relationships, about the things that really last longer than this, last longer than your health does, and lasts longer than your body being able to play, so I’m really thankful for the men and women I met here in New Jersey, and the experiences I got to have with my teammates and enjoy the city. Obviously, wish things would have gotten better on the field, but nothing but gratitude for this time in my life.”
With a brand new regime coming to the Jets, it’s not Rodgers’ resolution whether or not he returns in 2025. Gang Inexperienced may have a brand new coach and basic supervisor after proprietor Woody Johnson fired Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas through the season.
Rodgers is beneath contract for 2025, however his wage shouldn’t be assured. If the Jets had been to convey him again, they must train a $35 million possibility bonus earlier than the beginning of the 2025 season and Rodgers would rely $23.5 million towards the wage cap.
If Rodgers retires or if he’s minimize, the Jets have a $49 million useless cap hit. The $49 million could possibly be unfold over two years by designating him a post-June 1 launch — $14 million in 2025 and $35 million in 2026. Throughout an look on The Pat McAfee Present final week, Rodgers joked concerning the concept of getting minimize by one among Johnson’s teenage sons.
Rodgers may additionally retire from soccer altogether. The final time he contemplated retirement after his 2022 season with the Packers, Rodgers went on a darkness retreat in southern Oregon. He finally determined to proceed taking part in, facilitating his commerce to the Jets days earlier than the 2023 NFL Draft.
This time, Rodgers says he’ll take his time earlier than deciding whether or not to proceed taking part in or to retire.
“Probably darkness again, no, I think I’m done with that,” Rodgers joked. “I won’t be doing any darkness retreats this offseason. Whether you’re in the midst of your career, you’re a young player, middle of your career, whatever it is, you always need that break.
“This feels a lot like, after kind of a rookie year I would say, because a rookie year you go from training, and playing a season, and training the entire offseason, getting ready for the combine, then going to a new team, so there’s not normally any break. I’ve talked to, I remember Jordy Nelson got hurt a couple years in a row, and David Bakhtiari had like three years in a row of rehab, and I think you have to, until you’ve experienced the grind mentally and physically that as you can’t quite relate, but now that I have,
“I just need a break mentally to kind of refresh, and put my feet in the sand, and see where I’m at after that, but I think, to your question, March is free agency, I don’t think we’re even going to get that far, just because there’s going to be a regime change here, at least with the GM, and then whatever they end up doing I’m sure I’ll either get a call or have a conversation, and go from there.”
