Aaron Rodgers just proved that half of Jets fans were dead wrong

Aaron Rodgers gave the NFL world an unsurprising but still headline-worthy update Tuesday on The Pat McAfee Show, insisting that the 2025 season is “very likely” his last.

“I’m pretty sure this is it,” Rodgers admitted to McAfee, citing his one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. While some fans might have been caught off guard, Jets fans have been aware of this possibility for months, at least some of them.

The Jets' decision to part ways with Rodgers this offseason undeniably divided the fan base. There were those who believed in a clean reset after a drama-filled disappointment of a two-year stint, while others still held out hope that the four-time MVP could return healthy and make the Jets a contender.

The team’s new regime quickly made up its mind on the matter. New head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey cleared the deck, moved on from Rodgers, signed Justin Fields as his replacement, and never looked back.

As time has gone on, that decision has looked smarter by the day. And now, Rodgers’ own words have confirmed what was already becoming obvious — the Jets were right to move on when they did. Seemingly half the fan base might not have seen it at the time, but it should be undeniable now.

The NY Jets were right to move on from Aaron Rodgers

The numbers told the truth long before Rodgers did on Tuesday. His 2024 season wasn’t a disaster, but it was a far cry from the future Hall of Famer's peak.

He ended the year near the bottom of the league in several categories, finishing 28th in both completion percentage and average air yards, 24th in success rate, and 19th in EPA per play.

Only two quarterbacks — Cooper Rush and Anthony Richardson — recorded a worse completion percentage over expected (CPOE). For a quarterback who turned 41 last year, coming off a torn Achilles, that’s not a trend you bet your future on.

Beyond the on-field decline, the situation around Rodgers had grown exhausting. He missed mandatory minicamp for a vacation to Egypt, dominated headlines with controversial comments, and maintained an outsized influence on the locker room.

For a team trying to establish a new identity under head coach Glenn and Mougey, continuing down that road simply didn’t make sense. Rodgers had become an anchor, dragging the organization down.

After all, the Jets weren’t a quarterback away from contending. They were a roster in transition, and the new regime recognized that. Bringing back Rodgers for one more year of maybe nine-win football would have only delayed the inevitable. It also would have made their financial situation far worse heading into 2026.

That’s why the decision to move on was made rather swiftly. And now, Rodgers himself saying this season is “very likely” his last makes that decision look even smarter. The Jets saw this coming long before Rodgers was willing to publicly admit it.

Turns out the Jets knew exactly what they were doing. Sometimes the fans don't know best.

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