Aaron Rodgers delivers one final dig at Jets after what may be his last NFL game

Even as his career appears to be winding down, Aaron Rodgers still can’t quite let go of the New York Jets. Following the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 30–6 Wild Card loss to the Houston Texans on Monday night, Rodgers acknowledged that he is weighing his future, leaving open the possibility that the game may have been his last.

The Steelers are in the middle of turbulent times, too, with Mike Tomlin officially stepping down on Tuesday. Rodgers certainly has a lot on his mind, but that didn't stop him from taking a moment to throw shade at his former team.

By all accounts, Rodgers appeared happier and more comfortable in Pittsburgh than he ever did during his brief, tumultuous stint with the Jets. And yet, even with questions surrounding his own future and the Steelers’ direction, Rodgers still found time to revisit his old team.

He didn’t mention the Jets by name, but as has become a familiar pattern, it wasn’t exactly difficult to read between the lines. Here’s what Rodgers had to say.

"There’s only a few very special places in the league that have the tradition, the town, the organization, and I’m thankful to have played for two of them."

Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers can't stop talking about the Jets

Rodgers never explicitly said the Jets’ name, but he didn’t really have to. When he singled out only two organizations, it was hard not to notice who was left out.

Considering how frequently he’s contrasted his time in Pittsburgh with what he went through in Florham Park, it’s tough to read the comment as anything other than another quiet jab at his former team.

Rodgers is openly contemplating retirement, coming off what may have been his final NFL game, amid organizational upheaval in Pittsburgh. And yet, even with his own future unresolved, he continues to circle back to his Jets experience.

Whether intentional or not, the pattern is hard to brush aside, and it reinforces the sense that Rodgers’ time in Florham Park left a more lasting impression on him than he might care to admit. Or, one might argue, that's just who he is.

This wasn’t the first time Rodgers has gone down this road recently. Just last week, he praised the Steelers for having what he described as a drama-free environment, calling it “the antithesis” of where he had been before in a not-so-subtle reference to his time with the Jets.

Rodgers specifically pointed to a lack of leaks and outside noise, a criticism he repeatedly voiced during his stint in Florham Park, despite widespread speculation that he was the source of many of those so-called "leaks."

If this really is the end of the road for Rodgers, his final game won't be one to remember. Facing a ridiculously talented Texans defense, the Steelers’ offense never found its footing, sputtering through a postseason loss that ended without a single touchdown.

The performance mirrored much of Rodgers’ season. He showed flashes of competence, but rarely the consistency or explosiveness that once defined his game.

At this stage of his career, the decline has become impossible to ignore, and while Rodgers may be eager to close the book on his time with the Jets, it’s increasingly clear that the franchise has already turned the page as well.

And that's likely for the best.