Aaron Rodgers' days in New York are over. The NY Jets announced publicly last week that they would be parting ways with the future Hall of Fame quarterback wishing him well along the way.
It was an interesting two seasons, to say the least. The Jets finished 6-12 in games started by Rodgers (one of which was the infamous Achilles injury game that he did not finish). Despite throwing for 3,897 yards with a 28-to-11 touchdown-to-interception ratio, it was ultimately a disappointing season for both Rodgers and the Jets.
According to a report from Steve Helling and Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, the final days were somehow even more depressing than the tenure itself.
Rodgers reportedly spent his final hours in Florham Park "pleading" with the Jets to keep him for at least one more season, if not two. If accurate, it's a sad turn of events for a once-proud legend, now reduced to begging a historically dysfunctional franchise to keep his job.
Aaron Rodgers was desperate for one more chance
To be fair, reports indicate that Rodgers eventually accepted the news. However, he then reportedly "slipped into the darkness for a few days," adding yet another strange detail for everyone to process.
For weeks following the 2024 season, much of the talk surrounding the Jets focused on Aaron Rodgers' fate. The team had multiple options: the draft, the open market, their bench, or retaining Rodgers.
Although Rodgers may not like it, the path forward has become clearer, and it no longer includes him. It’s unclear how the players feel about the situation; some seem decidedly unhappy with the move, while others appear to welcome the change.
Regardless, it's time for the Jets to turn the page on this failed era, and their decision to move on from Rodgers signals that they are doing just that. However, fallout is still coming — and will likely continue to unfold over the next few weeks.
When one of the greatest players in the sport’s history is forced to exit in such an ugly fashion, it's impossible to avoid the resulting noise. But now, new general manager Darren Mougey and new head coach Aaron Glenn are focused on finding Rodgers' successor.
We’ll be hearing stories about this strange era of Jets football for years to come, but it is officially over. Now, Aaron Rodgers will look to see if his talents are still valued on the open market.