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On Saturday, The Athletic reported that Aaron Rodgers wants to continue playing in 2025 but not for the Jets.
However, during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Rodgers said, “That’s 100% false.”
“As far my future goes, I haven’t told anybody in my life that I want to play in 2025 and not for the Jets,” Rodgers said. “I actually said the opposite that I’m going to wait and see what happens at the end of the season and if they want me back and what happens with Brick [Jeff Ulbrich] and what happens with the offensive staff and obviously the GM [general manager]. They just fired Joe [Douglas].
“There’s a lot of things out of my control when it comes to that, but I’ve really enjoyed my time in New York. Obviously, we haven’t had the success that we all wanted to have, but I made some great friendships on the team. I’ve enjoyed living in Jersey, I’ve enjoyed my time in the city, I’ve enjoyed the fans and I came here to win here.
“I’m not jumping off ship. I don’t even know if I want to play yet, but New York will be my first option.”
At 3-8 and the season in a chaotic tailspin, there’s been much speculation on Rodgers’ future with the Jets. But on Nov. 13, Rodgers told reporters he would like to return to the Jets next season.
Jets owner Woody Johnson has already fired coach Robert Saleh and made defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich the interim coach. He then fired general manager Joe Douglas last week during the team’s bye. Johnson also recently hired The 33rd Team to help him hire his next general manager and coach.
Rodgers said he felt something was about to happen with Douglas — who served five-plus seasons as general manager — when he saw Johnson arrive at the team facility during the team’s walk-through practice.
“I was on a plane about to head back to California and got a call,” Rodgers said. “I love Joe. I spent a lot of time with Joe and a lot of conversations. He’s a f–king great man.
“He’s a damn good general manager and I really enjoyed our conversations. I’m disappointed because I had a hand in it. I had an opportunity to play better and to keep him here. So, I feel bad about that because he’s a great human.”
Rodgers’ relationship with Johnson has also been questioned in recent weeks. The Athletic also reported that Johnson had “lost confidence in Rodgers’ ability to lead the team to their first playoff berth in 14 years.”
It was also reported that Johnson had approached the Jets’ coaching staff about benching Rodgers following their Week 4 loss to the Broncos and the relationship between the two has been “strained for months.” Rodgers has been dealing with hamstring, ankle, and knee injuries for the bulk of this season.
This has led to speculation on whether the Jets could potentially release Rodgers before the end of the season or place him on injured reserve. But Rodgers said he believes he has a good relationship with Johnson.
Ulbrich told reporters on Monday that Rodgers would start against the Seahawks on Sunday.
“I have a lot of gratitude for all the Johnsons for bringing me here,” Rodgers said. “Had some good conversations over the last two years. Chris [Johnson] is around a little bit more than Woody. He will come on the road trips with us on the plane. So, I’ve had more conversations with Christopher than Woody. I got a lot of love and appreciation and gratitude for all the Johnsons.”
Rodgers’ future with the Jets remains cloudy. He is under contract for 2025, but the Jets do not owe him any more guaranteed money after this season.
After tearing his Achilles four plays into the 2023 season, Rodgers returned under center this season, but has not looked anywhere close to his MVP form with the Packers. In 11 games, Rodgers has thrown for 2,442 yards, 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Not only is Rodgers’ accuracy not what it once was, but he doesn’t have the same mobility to escape defenders. He also hasn’t thrown the ball down the field for explosive plays as he did when he was younger.
Rodgers is averaging 6.5 intended air yards per pass and ranks 36th out of qualifying quarterbacks with at least 90 attempts this season, according to Next Gen Stats.
If the Jets release Rodgers, they will take a $49 million salary cap hit next season, although they could spread that out over two years. If they make Rodgers a post-June 1 release, they would save $9.5 million next season.
“I feel like I have kind of been year-to-year,” Rodgers said. “Obviously, last year, getting hurt, my whole focus was trying to get back before the end of the season. Again, when you’re 40 going on 41, obviously, you are at the end of your career.
“If it’s New York, they have to want me to be here. New GM, new staff, they will have to want me to be with the Jets. Body-wise, I gotta see how I’m feeling and if I want to sign up to go back to the grind and all that.
“It is not as much fun when you’re kind of dealing with the kind of rehab all the time. So, if I can stay healthy the rest of the year and play the way that I want to play and everybody feels good about bringing me back, then there’s a decision there. If not, then there’s all the other options. At this point, I’m open to everything and tasked to nothing.”