The real reason the NY Jets are moving on from Aaron Rodgers has been revealed

The NY Jets' decision to move on from Aaron Rodgers after two disappointing seasons has been met with a sharp divide. Some believe it's the right move for the team's future, while others argue he still has plenty left in the tank and that the Jets can compete with him in 2025.

Everyone from media members to fans to former players to even current players has an opinion on the decision, but what's clear is that this was not a black-and-white situation. The Rodgers discussion is one of the more complex decisions the Jets have had to make in years.

Some believe the Jets' decision to move on from Rodgers is a direct indictment of his performance, but that's only partially true. The real reason behind the move goes far beyond his play on the field.

FOX Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported on Sunday that the Jets' moving on from Rodgers was "more so about his contract and the significant dead money that would remain whenever they eventually parted ways."

The NY Jets are moving on from Aaron Rodgers primarily for financial reasons

New head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey met with Rodgers last week to discuss his future and were reportedly open to the idea of moving forward with him as their quarterback.

However, it became increasingly apparent that Rodgers and the Jets were not on the same page about the short and long-term future of the organization. Combine that with the financial ramifications and moving on became the only decision.

The Jets could have run it back with Rodgers on a very affordable $23.5 million cap hit in 2025, but doing so would have had serious implications on their 2026 and likely 2027 cap situations.

Rodgers has a $35 million option bonus that triggers if he's on the Jets' roster come Week 1 of the 2025 season. That's why the dead cap ramifications are so severe if Rodgers is on the Jets for another year.

The Jets can release Rodgers this offseason and take the full $49 million dead cap hit upfront or they can designate him as a post-June 1st cut and split the dead cap hit between 2025 ($14 million) and 2026 ($35 million).

However, if Rodgers was retained for another year, that dead cap hit would balloon to $63 million. It's unlikely the Jets could take that full dead cap charge in 2026, meaning the team would be on the hook for $21 million in 2026 and a whopping $42 million in 2027.

The Jets did not want to significantly hinder their financial flexibility three seasons in the future for one half-hearted all-in year with Rodgers. That was ultimately the crux of their decision.

Rodgers has stated that he would be open to re-working his contract, but there's only so much "re-working" that can be done. The Jets would still be on the hook for all of that dead money eventually.

The Jets' decision to move on from Rodgers stemmed from several factors, including his age, health concerns, influence over the organization, schematic changes, and performance. However, as is often the case, the biggest driving force behind the move was finances.

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