Top NY Jets GM option believes most candidates didn’t want Aaron Rodgers back

The NY Jets interviewed over a dozen candidates for their general manager job this offseason. The team asked prospective GMs to explain their vision and disclose their plans to fix the organization hypothetically if they were hired.

There's no doubt that the future of Aaron Rodgers was one of the most important talking points in those meetings. It's unclear what new GM Darren Mougey's stance on Rodgers is just yet, but we do have the perspective of someone who interviewed for the job.

Longtime Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff, a highly-regarded former GM who interviewed for the Jets' position, spoke to Zach Gelb this week and made it clear where he stands on Rodgers.

Dimitroff insisted that he believes it's in the best interest of both sides to part ways in the offseason before explaining that he thinks most other candidates who interviewed for the job probably felt the same way.

Many GM candidates seem to believe the NY Jets should not bring back Aaron Rodgers

Now to be clear, Dimitroff does not know what other candidates think about the Rodgers situation, but it's notable that someone as respected and connected as he is believes most prospective GMs in his shoes would not want the four-time MVP back on the Jets in 2025.

Dimitroff elaborated that he believes Rodgers can still play at a "high level" in the NFL and thinks the future Hall of Famer has at least another 1-2 years left in him. He just doesn't think it makes much sense for the Jets to bring him back.

Rodgers is under contract in 2025 but neither he nor the Jets have made any commitments about his future status. It's entirely possible Rodgers simply decides to retire this offseason.

If he does commit to playing in 2025, however, the Jets will have to weigh a variety of factors including his age, injury history, contract, relationship with the organization, and his potential fit in new offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand's scheme. It's a complicated discussion.

Jets head coach Aaron Glenn told reporters at his introductory press conference last month that he and Mougey would set aside time to speak with Rodgers about his plans in the near future. No decision has been made at this time.

Dimitroff's claim that most general manager candidates probably wouldn't want to run it back with Rodgers makes sense. Rodgers would carry a dead cap hit of $63 million if the Jets decide to bring him back in 2025, a number that would likely be split between 2026 and 2027.

That means the Jets would be forced to significantly handicap themselves financially in 2026 and 2027 if they were to have Rodgers return for one more season. That doesn't seem to be a gamble most new regimes would want to take.

The conversation shifts if Rodgers is willing to take a massive pay cut to stay with the organization, but that remains uncertain. While he has hinted at being open to restructuring his contract, it would require a significant reduction in salary.

Dimitroff isn't the one making the Aaron Rodgers decision, but his perspective offers unique insight into the minds of many top decision-makers around the NFL. Only time will tell if Glenn and Mougey share his vision.

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