Nearly two years ago, the arrival of Aaron Rodgers with the New York Jets sparked much fanfare and hopes he could duplicate what Tom Brady did with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Rodgers didn’t deliver. The first year, he was injured in his first game and missed the rest of the season. The following year he went 5–12. Now, the Jets are moving on from the former Super Bowl champion and four-time MVP, the team announced Thursday in two statements.
“Last week, we met with Aaron and shared that our intention was to move in a different direction at quarterback,” Jets head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey said in a joint statement. “It was important to have this discussion now to provide clarity and enable each of us the proper time to plan for our respective futures.
“We want to thank him for the leadership, passion, and dedication he brought to the organization and wish him success moving forward.”
New York hired Glenn and Mougey after a tumultuous regular season that led to the firing of former head coach Robert Saleh and former general manager Joe Douglas. The Jets couldn’t get on track despite having Rodgers, talented skill players including star wideout Davante Adams as a midseason addition, and a young and capable defense.
Glenn and Mougey have now put their initial stamp on the franchise by making a major decision at quarterback for a team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2010. The Jets own the No. 7 pick in the draft and have been linked to free-agent quarterbacks such as former starter and current Minnesota Vikings signal-caller Sam Darnold. In particular, Glenn coached under Detroit Lions head coach Dave Campbell as the team made a major turnaround at quarterback, transitioning from Matthew Stafford to Jared Goff.
Rodgers came to New York after a stellar career with the Green Bay Packers, where he threw for 59,055 yards and 475 touchdowns in 18 seasons. New York traded for Rodgers in 2023 but didn’t get the same high-level play in his early 40s amid 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns in 18 games.
The Jets could release or trade Rodgers, but it may not happen until after June 1. New York would take a dead cap hit of $49 million before that date but only $14 million this year after June 1 and another hit of $35 million in 2025. Rodgers has one year left on his three-year, $112.5 million deal with the Jets.
“I personally want to thank Aaron for his time at the New York Jets,” owner Woody Johnson said in a statement. “His arrival in 2023 was met with unbridled excitement, and I will forever be grateful that he chose to join us to continue his Hall of Fame career.
“From day one, he embodied all that it meant to be a New York Jet, embraced our fans, and immersed himself in our city. That is what I will remember most when I look back at his time here. He will always be welcome and I wish him only the best in whatever he chooses to do next.”
What Rodgers will do next at 41 remains unknown. Rodgers previously spoke of retirement and noted that his decision would be impacted by the Jets’ decisions on a new head coach and new general manager.
Numerous NFL teams could use a high-caliber starting quarterback such as Rodgers, but quarterbacks are known to decline in their 40s. Even Brady showed signs of decline in his final year with the Buccaneers in 2022, when he had his first-ever losing season at age 45. Rodgers has not publicly commented on his pending departure from the Jets. The Epoch Times reached out to his agent, David Dunn.
