Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets’ relationship will apparently not survive what has been a tumultuous season for both quarterback and team. Rodgers wants to play in 2025, per The Athletic, but not for the Jets, who have lost eight of their 11 games this season despite entering the campaign with Super Bowl aspirations.
Here’s an excerpt from Dianna Russini’s report:
I’m told Johnson has lost confidence in Rodgers’ ability to lead the team to their first playoff berth in 14 years, a drought that stands as the longest in the major North American professional sports leagues. There are some on the team who believe everyone is simply tiptoeing around the fact that Rodgers isn’t the same player anymore. I’m told no decisions have been made yet, but it appears increasingly likely that the four-time MVP, who is banged up, could be placed on injured reserve or possibly benched over the next few weeks, signaling the end of his disastrous time with the Jets. Some around the league say they won’t be surprised if Rodgers is cut in-season. As for Rodgers, his relationship with the owner has been strained for months — that’s not a secret in the building or the locker room. At this point, after conversations with sources with the team and around the league, my understanding is that Rodgers still wants to play in 2025, just not for the New York Jets.
The 2024 season has been nothing short of a disaster for both the Jets and Rodgers, who is in the middle of what has been worst year of his 20-year career. If there has been a positive for Rodgers, it’s the fact that he has not missed a game due to injury after missing virtually the entire 2023 season after injuring his Achilles in the season-opener.
It’s been an even worse year for Johnson, who fired head coach Robert Saleh after just five games. He recently fired longtime general manager Joe Douglas, as the Jets will now need to find replacements for both men this offseason. It’s fair to wonder what qualified candidates would want to work for Johnson given his short leash (with the exception or former Jets coach Rex Ryan, who is chomping at the bit to get back on the sideline).
Despite his struggles this season, Rodgers will surely receive interest on the open market, as there is a significant shortage of quality starting quarterbacks in the NFL. For now, though, Rodgers and the Jets will continue to try to find a way to get through the final seven games of the 2024 season.
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