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The New York Jets and Aaron Rodgers have had a rough two years together and the team hasn't gone anywhere with the future Hall-of-Famer under center. After missing the entire 2023 season with a torn Achilles, the Jets are just 4-12 and have bee one of the most dysfunctional teams in the NFL all season long.
As the Jets have fallen out of playoff contention, the focus has shifted to Rodgers' future with the team and in football as a whole. The former Packers legend is already 41 years old and has hinted at potential retirement before, so a decision to step away from the game after such a tumultuous season, where he has dealt with a variety of nagging injuries, wouldn't be that surprising.
The possibility that Rodgers could step away from the game and retire after this season ends is growing, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media.
From @NFLGameDay: #Jets QB Aaron Rodgers sounded like a player who may be playing his last game; Plus, #Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa (hip) is up in the air for next week (if they advance). pic.twitter.com/WkuxndSHfX
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 5, 2025
“The future of Aaron Rodgers, I would say very firmly up in the air,” Rapoport said. “Listening to Rodgers' pretty heartfelt words this week, it sounded like someone who is at least preparing for the possibility that he's playing his last game. I'm not talking about the Jets, I'm talking about playing his last game. He was thankful. He remembered some great things from the past. He thanked his high school coach. This was a guy who I think really dug deep as far as in his feelings. There are several people close to him who I know are preparing for the fact that this could in fact be it.”
Potential outcomes for Aaron Rodgers this offseason
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Whether Aaron Rodgers retires this offseason or not, a return to the Jets feels unlikely after the way this season has gone. Over the course of the year, various reports have surfaced about Rodgers' interest in returning to the team and the team's interest in running it back with Rodgers, and neither one seems like they want it to happen.
As a result, Rodgers could very well retire if he doesn't want to ingratiate himself with another new team and move to another city. However, there will be potential landing spots for him if he does end up finding a new home.
Plenty of teams will be looking for a veteran bridge quarterback for the 2025 season, either to mentor a young signal caller currently on the roster or to fill in for a year while teams wait for a much stronger quarterback class in the 2026 draft.
Two obvious potential landing spots for Rodgers are the Cleveland Browns and Las Vegas Raiders, who will both surely be looking for other options under center for the 2025 season. The Browns could bring Rodgers in as competition for Deshaun Watson if they don't like any of the options at the top of the draft, and the Raiders have probably fallen out of the range to take a quarterback with a couple of wins at the end off the season. As a result, it's easy to see Rodgers in either spot if he doesn't choose to retire.
