FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Aaron Rodgers still isn’t sure if he’ll play football beyond this season. If he did, it’s not certain he would be with the New York Jets.
The 41-year-old quarterback will consider any situation this offseason. That includes potentially mentoring a young man who might one day take his job. He even adjusted his contract again to stay with the Jets next season.
“Yeah, I’m open to anything,” Rodgers said after Wednesday’s practice.
He also expects to start next season healthier than he was this season, emerging from a torn Achilles tendon.
“Yes, it’s possible,” he said, smiling. “Probably sitting on the beach, though.”
Rodgers’ future will be a storyline from now until sometime in the offseason as to whether he returns to the Jets, retires or is released with plans to play elsewhere. But he reiterated that his first choice was to stay in New York.
“Yeah, I mean, there’s a lot of reasons why this would be a great opportunity,” he said. “But I’ll see what happens. There’s a lot that has to happen.”
Rodgers was referring to the Jets’ search for a general manager and head coach after firing Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh earlier this season.
“Whether I’m involved in the conversation or whether they move on,” Rogers said, “no matter what happens, I’m going to take the time to think about my future.”
Rodgers, who has been dealing with knee, ankle and hamstring ailments early in the season and has been visibly affected by injuries, and the Jets got off to a slow start. The four-time NFL MVP admitted that the Jets, who are 4-10 this season and have missed the playoffs for the 14th consecutive year, haven’t lived up to his standards or expectations.
But he also refused to use injuries as an excuse for his inconsistent performance for much of the season.
“It’s a game of what-if,” Rogers said. “I won’t get into too much. I felt like I was fit enough to compete, so I competed and that’s where the conversation ended. There were some games where I was hampered more and there were games where I felt better.
“But obviously, I’ve been feeling better the past few weeks.”
In the past two games, Rodgers has completed 43 of 69 for a 62% completion rate, 628 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. He caught two touchdown passes to Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson for 289 yards in New York’s 32-25 victory over Jacksonville on Sunday. Rogers helped the team win a rare victory in a late counterattack.
Still, the 20-year veteran said the late-season surge won’t necessarily affect his return next season.
“No, I’ll take some time after the year – unless, you know, I’m released immediately,” he said with a smile. “But whether I want to compete or not, I’m still going to take some time, but no matter what, I’m going to take some time to get out of it.”
Rodgers signed with a non-guaranteed base salary of $2.5 million through next season. He will also receive a $35 million option bonus before the start of the regular season and will count $23.5 million against the salary cap. But if he is waived or retires, the Jets could be on the hook for $49 million in dead money next year, unless they designate him for release on June 1 and can spread it over two years.
These are all questions the team’s new regime will have to consider and whether they believe he can still lead the Jets on the field and stay healthy.
New York will likely have a top-10 pick in next April’s draft, so selecting a quarterback could come into play. Rodgers insists he would be fine with that if he were still in the squad. He was also asked if he could see a situation where the Jets ask him to return, but could turn to a younger guy if they fall out of playoff contention.
He compared it to his time in Green Bay, when the Packers drafted Jordan Love in the first round in 2020. Rodgers started three seasons behind Love and was MVP in the 2020 and 2021 seasons before the Packers moved on.
“When they drafted Jordan, I felt like I was a ways away from being benched and a few years later I won the MVP, so that’s what the league is like,” Rodgers said. “You have to show that you can play every week and be able to sustain it.
“So if they ask me to come back and they draft a guy, I’m going to coach him if I’m playing. I’m going to try to play a good game and keep him on the bench.”
notes: DT Quinnen Williams (hamstring), CB Michael Carter II (back) and RG Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle) did not participate in the team’s walkthrough practices. … RB Braelon Allen (back), RB Isaiah Davis (back), CB Brandin Echols (shoulder), RT Morgan Moses (knee) and LB Quincy Williams (knee) are listed as limited. … Jalen Mills was placed on injured reserve after breaking his collarbone on an interception in Jacksonville. … DT Leki Fotu, on IR with a knee injury, has his practice window open.
