Aaron Rodgers’ tenure with the New York Jets could last even longer than this season – despite plenty of losses and disappointments.
The star quarterback, who turns 41 on December 2, previously said he wanted to play a few more years. And he emphasized Wednesday that the Jets’ 3-7 start during a tumultuous season hasn’t changed that attitude.
“Not really,” Rodgers said in the locker room after training. “Not because of the negative, no. Not really.”
Rodgers was then asked by a reporter if he wanted to play next year.
“I think so, yeah,” the four-time NFL MVP said as he nodded.
Rodgers’ future beyond this season has been in doubt in recent weeks, mainly due to his mediocre play during the worst start of his 20-year career.
He has one year left on his contract, which includes a non-guaranteed base salary of $2.5 million and $21 million in bonuses. He would count $23.5 million against the salary cap next season. But if the Jets were to cut Rodgers before June 1 of next year, they would have to pay a dead money sum of $49 million; after June 1 it would be $14 million.
He got off to a slow start in his return after a torn left Achilles tendon that sidelined him for all but four ruptures last season. Rodgers showed some flashes of the player he was in his prime, including in wins over New England in Week 3 and Houston in Week 9, but he followed that performance against the Texans with a dud in a 31-6 loss against Arizona. He was 22 of 35 for just 151 yards and completed only one pass through the air of 35 feet or longer.
Rodgers has also dealt with ankle, knee and hamstring issues that have visibly robbed him of some of the mobility that made him such a threat as a young quarterback.
“I mean, I’m definitely not playing as well as I want to play,” he said. “The great thing about this game is that it is a team game. The frustrating thing is that when you’re a big competitor, you hold yourself to a standard, and that’s not unrealistic.
“And I didn’t reach that level this year.”
When Rodgers was traded to the Jets in April 2023, Super Bowl ambitions – and expectations – followed. His injury in the season opener ended those hopes last year, but optimism was back this past offseason and training camp.
A 2-3 start resulted in Robert Saleh being fired by owner Woody Johnson and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich taking over on an interim basis. Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, Rodgers’ buddy from their days together in Green Bay, was relegated as the primary play-caller, with passing game coordinator Todd Downing handling those duties. The Jets also traded last month for wide receiver Davante Adams, who was Rodgers’ teammate with the Packers for eight seasons.
Still, the team has struggled, going 1-4 under Ulbrich heading into Sunday’s game against Indianapolis. The ‘spark’ that Johnson thought would be created by sacking Saleh has not translated into better play on the pitch.
“I think you look at it in strictly binary terms of win and loss,” Rodgers said. “What Brick has done and the way we practice, I feel like there have been big changes. I feel like he’s done some really good things. I think Brick is an NFL head coach, whether moving forward or backward. I mean, he’s a leader of men and I’ll support him.
“I would like to play for him until the end. That’s why I have a lot of love and respect for him.”
Rodgers reiterated that Saleh’s dismissal was difficult for everyone “because we all love Robert”, but it was not the players’ decision. And Rodgers thinks everyone has dealt with the setback well.
“And Brick has done a really good job of finding ways to motivate the guys to keep them together,” he said. “Because this could have gone south, and I’m not just talking about wins and losses – from a personality, cohesion, standard as far as guys just kind of splintering and breaking down.”
Rodgers preached “hope” to Jets fans, saying anything could happen in the final seven games.
Still, he acknowledged he wasn’t the dynamic playmaker the Jets hoped he would be.
“Health has obviously been a big challenge for me,” Rodgers said when asked to assess what the most difficult aspects have been since coming to New York. “The other parts, there are definitely intangibles. There are guys you get to know, but you don’t know them. You know, you haven’t been there. There’s clearly (the) system trying to get on the same page. And there are personalities you have to get to know. You learn that you can push certain boys and that you have to pet certain boys. That is part of the process.
“It’s actually been a few very nice years for me. But obviously it was frustrating with the football part.”