Aaron Rodgers’ time with the New York Jets has come to an end, and the team’s only Super Bowl victory still stands as the lone championship in their history.
The Jets announced on Thursday that they have informed the 41-year-old quarterback that they are moving forward without him next season.
While Rodgers has not revealed if he plans to play a 21st NFL season, the Jets, now under new general manager Darren Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn, have decided against bringing him back.
In a joint statement, Mougey and Glenn mentioned that they met with Rodgers last week and told him, “that our intention was to move in a different direction at quarterback.”
They added, “It was important to have this discussion now to provide clarity and enable each of us the proper time to plan for our respective futures. We want to thank him for the leadership, passion, and dedication he brought to the organization and wish him success moving forward.”
Rodgers, who has won four MVP awards, is the fifth player in NFL history to throw 500 touchdown passes in the regular season. He still has one year left on his contract, which is worth $37.5 million but is not guaranteed.
The Jets will take a $49 million dead money charge next season unless they designate Rodgers as a post-June 1 cut, which would spread the charge over two years. If they do that, Rodgers would stay on the roster with a $23.5 million salary cap charge until the start of the NFL’s new league year on March 12.
In April 2023, Rodgers was traded to the Jets after spending 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers. He was brought in to help end the franchise’s long Super Bowl drought, which goes back to the days of Joe Namath and the 1968 season.
At his introductory press conference, Rodgers commented that the team’s only Vince Lombardi Trophy looked “lonely” in the lobby, with hopes that he could change that.
However, the reality of Rodgers’ time with the Jets was less successful. His first season in New York ended just four snaps into his debut due to a torn left Achilles tendon, which ended the Jets’ Super Bowl hopes. He worked his way back to the field this past season and started every game but struggled with consistency as the Jets finished with a 5-12 record.
Rodgers had six wins, including the one where he was injured, in 18 starts with the team.
Jets owner Woody Johnson said in a statement, “I personally want to thank Aaron for his time at the New York Jets. His arrival in 2023 was met with unbridled excitement and I will forever be grateful that he chose to join us to continue his Hall of Fame career.
Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after the lossFrom Day 1, he embodied all that it meant to be a New York Jet, embraced our fans and immersed himself in our city. That is what I will remember most when I look back at his time here.”
Rodgers’ 28 touchdown passes and 3,897 yards passing both rank third for a single season in franchise history. But he struggled early in his return and faced additional leg injuries, including a hamstring issue. The Jets’ offense with Rodgers was inconsistent, and the defense lost its previous dominance, leading to the firing of general manager Joe Douglas and coach Robert Saleh midseason.
In his last appearance with the Jets, Rodgers threw four touchdown passes in a victory over Miami on January 5, which was his best performance of the season.
Rodgers’ brief time with the Jets also included some controversy. Last offseason, he missed mandatory minicamp to take a trip to Egypt while recovering from his injury. He was also mentioned by Robert Kennedy Jr. as a potential vice-presidential candidate, although Rodgers focused on football and his comeback, including the Jets trading for his former Packers teammate Davante Adams.
Now, the Jets will be in search of a new quarterback, while Rodgers is considering his future. He said after the season that he planned to take a mental break before deciding whether to continue playing.
Fox Sports reported that Rodgers met with the Jets in New Jersey, where he was informed of the team’s plans.
Veteran Tyrod Taylor remains on the roster, as does Jordan Travis, who spent his rookie season on the non-football injury list, and Adrian Martinez, who was on the practice squad and signed to a reserve-future contract last month.
The Jets may also explore the free-agent market for a quarterback next month and hold the No. 7 overall pick in the upcoming draft.
Rodgers has thrown 503 regular-season touchdown passes, ranking fifth in NFL history behind Tom Brady (649), Drew Brees (571), Peyton Manning (539), and Brett Favre (508). He is seventh in passing yards with 62,952 and led the Packers to their most recent Super Bowl title in the 2010 season. Despite reaching the NFC Championship Game four times since then, he hasn’t played in another Super Bowl.
If Rodgers decides to keep playing, he will likely want to join a team with a chance to contend for another title, giving him one last shot at winning another championship.
