Aaron Rodgers was supposed to pilot the Jets to a Super Bowl.
Instead, the captain and his crew never left the terminal. The dark skies that have hung over the organization since winning Super Bowl 3 in 1969 don’t seem to be going anywhere, anytime soon. Rodgers was supposed to be the savior before riding off into the sunset. It worked for Peyton Manning. It worked for Tom Brady. It doesn’t look like it’ll work for Rodgers and the Jets.
A franchise that often feels cursed, the Jets have experienced just five winning seasons since Rodgers entered the league 20 years ago. In the midst of what’s shaping up to be a ninth consecutive losing season, the questions are no longer about how far ‘Gang Green’ will go, but rather how low they can go?
With Father Time coming for Rodgers, it’s a mystery how much longer he’ll play. But while the Jets spiral, it appears that this marriage between quarterback and team is set to last at least another year.
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Will Aaron Rodgers retire?
Rodgers plans to play in 2025, he told reporters on Wednesday.
‘I think so, yeah,’ he said when asked if he plans to play next season.
The Jets were largely expected to be a playoff team in 2024 and potential Super Bowl contenders. Through 10 weeks, they are closer to ending up with the No. 1 overall draft pick. Unless a miracle happens, the only way the Jets end up at the Super Bowl in New Orleans is if they buy a ticket.
Rodgers’ struggles have played a big role in that, but the team as a whole has underperformed. ‘Gang Green’ has been poorly coached, which led to the firing of Robert Saleh. A flawed roster has also been exposed. The Jets went all-in on veteran talent like Rodgers and Tyron Smith, while trying to extract value out of players returning from injury, like Mike Williams. New York ended up trading for Davante Adams following a Week 6 loss to the Bills, so it doesn’t fall entirely on the staff or roster construction.
Ultimately, if Rodgers was playing like the quarterback that has tormented defenses since 2008, no one would be having this discussion.
There’s no shame in saying the 40-year-old quarterback can’t carry a team like he used to. The Achilles injury he suffered in 2023 has zapped Rodgers of nearly all mobility, making the Jets look like they’re running a prehistoric offense. In an NFL era that places a ton of emphasis on a quarterback’s athletic ability, the Jets are an outlier.
While poor play and bad results don’t seem to be discouraging the future Hall of Fame quarterback from playing next season, plans often change. Rodgers took a chance on a broken organization that owns the longest playoff drought in the NFL. The book isn’t completely closed yet, but that is likely too much to overcome in the end.
How old is Aaron Rodgers?
Aaron Rodgers is 40 years old and is set to turn 41 on Dec. 2. He is the oldest current active player, but has some catching up to do if he aims to be the oldest player in league history. George Blanda played until he was 48 years old.
Aaron Rodgers’ contract
The Jets moved heaven and earth to acquire Rodgers in 2023, but haven’t really received any positive return on their investment. While the quarterback did restructure his deal upon his arrival in New Jersey, the reworked contract became a three-year, $112.5 million agreement, according to Spotrac.
It comes with an average salary of $37.5 million, but Rodgers carries a cap hit of only $17.1 million in 2024 that jumps to $23.5 million in 2025. The biggest problem for the Jets, however, is that the team will feel the effects of the Rodgers acquisition through 2029 thanks to the void years added to his contract. He is set to become a free agent after the 2025 season.
Aaron Rodgers’ stats
Through 10 games, Rodgers has led the Jets to a 3-7 record. He’s thrown 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions, passing for 2,258 yards and completing 62.4% of passes. It is arguably the worst season of Rodgers’ 16-year career as a starter, not counting his 2023 cameo.
Rodgers is gaining just 6.4 yards per pass attempt and owns just a 86.8 quarterback rating, both career lows. The Jets likely didn’t expect to see him play at an MVP level, but they aren’t even getting average play from Rodgers right now.
