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With Week 18 approaching and the New York Jets eliminated from the playoffs, Aaron Rodgers is thinking about the future. Not just about the 2025 season, but the rest of his NFL tenure.
During Rodgers’ media availability Wednesday, the 41-year-old quarterback admitted he was thinking about whether the Jets’ final game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday would also be his last.
“Yeah, of course, yeah,” Rodgers said, before continuing to reflect on his career that began in 2005.
“This game has given me a lot. I’ve given a lot back to it and I’m thankful for it. … I won’t be thinking about that come gameday. I’ll just be enjoying this. I’m just trying to stay in the moment, but of course it’s been a long career. I’m really proud of what I’ve been able to be a part of, what I’ve been able to accomplish, and also looking forward to a nice mental and physical rest.”
Rodgers contemplated retirement more than once over the last few years, most notably in the 2022 offseason that saw him eventually traded to the Jets. While Rodgers joked that he “won’t be doing any more darkness retreats this offseason,” he did say he would rest before making the final call on his career.
“I need a break mentally, and I don’t want to make a decision until I’ve been able to rest mentally and physically,” Rodgers said. “Because really since September 11th last year, it feels like I’ve been rehabbing and training just to get to be able to play in training camp, and then obviously had the nerves of playing the first few games and kind of just getting banged up, just trying to get back on the field for many weeks until the last three or four where I felt really good.
“So I just need a break mentally to just kind of refresh, put my feet in the sand and see where I’m at after that.”
Rodgers said his decision on whether or not to retire after this year might not even be decided by him.
“March is free agency,” he said. “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’ll either get a call or have a conversation and go from there.”
Rodgers said he’s not necessarily leaning towards retirement, but given the speculation around a Jets organizational overhaul after going 4-12 heading into Week 18, he does expect change within the franchise. The Jets fired former coach Robert Saleh in October and former general manager Joe Douglas in November.
“I just won’t resign to the reality of the situation,” Rodgers said. “I think there’s going to be change here, and if I’m a part of the change, then I just want to make sure everybody knows that I have nothing but gratitude for my time here.
“It’s been a great experience all around, and again, I’m disappointed about the performance of both myself and as a team, but really thankful for the opportunity.”
Is Rodgers done with football, or the Jets?
For weeks, Rodgers was not-so-subtly hinting that he either wants Jets owner Woody Johnson to cut him after the season — or that he expects him too. A this point, it’s pretty clear a divorce is best for both parties. Rodgers is coming off one of the worst games of his NFL career, throwing for only 112 yards with zero touchdowns and two interceptions in a blowout 40-14 loss to the Buffalo Bills — a game where Rodgers suggested to interim coach Jeff Ulbrich that he probably should turn things over to backup Tyrod Taylor when the Jets went down 40-0. Taylor proceeded to lead the Jets on two scoring drives against Bills backups.
Now more than ever, Rodgers seems to be mentally preparing for the possibility that this, at minimum, could be his last game in a Jets uniform — and possibly his last in the NFL, though he’s going to take his time to decide what he wants to do.
Ultimately, Johnson might leave the Rodgers decision (if he wants to even play) up to whoever he hires as head coach and GM — but Rodgers said he expects a decision to come down sometime before free agency starts in March.
If Rodgers is released, the Jets will be starting anew at quarterback again. Taylor is under contract for next season and could serve as a bridge quarterback to someone else like a rookie in the upcoming NFL Draft — or the new GM might prefer to bring in someone else from outside the organization to start at the position in 2025. — Zack Rosenblatt, Jets beat writer
Required reading
(Photo: Kathryn Riley / Getty Images)
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