FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Aaron Rodgers’ time with the New York Jets may continue past this current season, despite the frustrations of a challenging year. The veteran quarterback, approaching his 41st birthday on December 2, expressed his desire to play for additional years, stating that the team’s rocky start of 3-7 has not impacted his determination to keep playing.
“No, not really,” said Rodgers while addressing reporters in the locker room after practice. When pressed on whether he still envisions playing next season, he nodded affirmatively, adding, “I think so, yeah.”
Recent weeks have raised questions about Rodgers’ future, particularly in light of the subpar performance this season, marking the worst start in his 20-year career. He is under contract for one more year, which includes a non-guaranteed base salary of $2.5 million and $21 million in bonuses, equating to a $23.5 million cap hit next year. However, if the Jets decide to release him before June 1, they would face a significant dead money charge of $49 million, decreasing to $14 million if he is cut after that date.
Since returning from a torn left Achilles tendon that had kept him sidelined for most of the previous season, Rodgers experienced a slow start. Although he demonstrated glimpses of his former self with strong performances against New England in Week 3 and Houston in Week 9, he followed that up with a disappointing showing in a 31-6 defeat to Arizona, where he completed just 22 of 35 attempts for 151 yards, with only one pass traveling over 10 yards.
In addition to his Achilles recovery, Rodgers has contended with a variety of injuries, including issues with his ankle, knee, and hamstring, hindering his mobility—a key asset during his earlier career. “I’m not playing as well as I would like to play, for sure,” he admitted. “The beauty in this game is it’s a team game. The frustrating part is that if you’re a great competitor, you hold yourself to a standard, and it’s not unrealistic. And I haven’t reached that standard this year.”
The aspirations for the Jets soared when Rodgers was traded from the Packers in April 2023, but those hopes were dashed following his injury in the season opener last year. Optimism returned during the offseason and training camp, but a 2-3 start led to the firing of head coach Robert Saleh, with defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich stepping in as interim head coach. Additionally, offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who had worked with Rodgers in Green Bay, was reassigned, while passing game coordinator Todd Downing took over play-calling duties. The Jets also added wide receiver Davante Adams, who previously played alongside Rodgers for eight seasons with the Packers.
Unfortunately, the team has continued to struggle, with a 1-4 record under Ulbrich heading into their game against Indianapolis. The expected resurgence following Saleh’s dismissal has yet to materialize on the field. “I think that you’re looking at it in strictly binary wins and losses terms,” Rodgers pointed out. He feels that Ulbrich has made significant strides in practice and believes he possesses the qualities of an NFL head coach, whether for the Jets or elsewhere. “I’d love to play for him until the end. So I have a lot of love and respect for him.”
Rodgers emphasized that the decision to part ways with Saleh weighed heavily on everyone, as they all held him in high regard. The quarterback commended Ulbrich for keeping team morale high amidst adversity. “Brick’s done a really good job of trying to find ways to motivate the guys to keep them together,” he said. “This could have gone south, and I’m not just talking about wins and losses but from a personality, cohesion standpoint as well.”
While Rodgers preached hope to Jets fans, he acknowledged the challenges faced during the last portion of the season, asserting that anything remains possible over the final seven games. Admitting he has not lived up to expectations, he added, “Health obviously has been a big challenge for me. There are intangible elements too. Learning to connect with new teammates and understanding the playbook are all part of the adjustment process.” He remarked on the overall experience, “It’s been actually a really beautiful couple of years for me in totality, but it’s obviously been frustrating with the football part.”