Aaron Rodgers’ stint with the New York Jets may nonetheless lengthen past this season — regardless of loads of losses and disappointments.
The star quarterback, who’ll flip 41 on Dec. 2, beforehand stated he’d wish to play just a few extra years. And he insisted Wednesday that the Jets’ 3-7 begin throughout a tumultuous season has not modified that stance.
“Probably not,” Rodgers stated within the locker room after observe. “Not for the damaging, no. Probably not.”
Rodgers was then requested by a reporter if he nonetheless desires to play subsequent yr.
“I believe so, yeah,” the four-time NFL MVP stated whereas nodding.
Rodgers’ future past this season has come into query in current weeks, significantly due to his mediocre play throughout the worst begin of his 20-year profession.
He has one yr left on his contract that features $2.5 million in non-guaranteed base wage with $21 million in bonuses. He would depend $23.5 million towards the wage cap subsequent season. But when the Jets lower Rodgers earlier than June 1 subsequent yr, they’d incur a $49 million useless cash cost; it could be $14 million after June 1.
He acquired off to a gradual begin in his return from a torn left Achilles tendon that sidelined him for all however 4 snaps final season. Rodgers confirmed some flashes of the participant he was in his prime, together with in victories over New England in Week 3 and Houston in Week 9, however he adopted that efficiency towards the Texans with a dud in a 31-6 loss to Arizona. He was 22 of 35 for simply 151 yards, finishing only one cross by way of the air of 10 yards or longer.
Rodgers has additionally handled ankle, knee and hamstring points which have visibly sapped him of among the mobility that helped make him such a menace as a younger quarterback.
“I imply, I’m not taking part in in addition to I wish to play, for positive,” he stated. “The sweetness on this sport is it’s a workforce sport. The irritating half is that in case you’re a terrific competitor, you maintain your self to a typical and it’s not unrealistic.
“And I haven’t reached that customary this yr.”
When Rodgers was traded to the Jets in April 2023, Tremendous Bowl aspirations — and expectations — adopted. His damage within the season opener ended these hopes final yr, however the optimism was again throughout this previous offseason and coaching camp.
A 2-3 begin acquired Robert Saleh fired by proprietor Woody Johnson and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich took over on an interim foundation. Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, Rodgers’ buddy from their days collectively in Inexperienced Bay, was demoted as the first play caller with passing sport coordinator Todd Downing assuming these duties. The Jets additionally traded final month for large receiver Davante Adams, who was Rodgers’ teammate for eight seasons with the Packers.
Nonetheless, the workforce has struggled, going 1-4 underneath Ulbrich heading into its sport Sunday towards Indianapolis. The “spark” Johnson believed could be brought on by firing Saleh has not translated into higher play on the sphere.
“I believe that you simply’re taking a look at it in strictly binary wins and losses phrases,” Rodgers stated. “What Brick’s completed, the best way that we observe, I really feel like there was nice modifications. I really feel like he’s completed some actually good issues. I believe Brick is an NFL head coach, whether or not it’s right here transferring ahead or down the road. I imply, he’s a frontrunner of males and I’ll stand by him.
“I’d like to play for him till the tip. So I’ve loads of love and respect for him.”
Rodgers reiterated Saleh’s firing was robust for everybody “as a result of all of us love Robert,” but it surely was not the gamers’ resolution. And Rodgers thinks everybody has dealt with the adversity properly.
“And Brick’s completed a very good job of looking for methods to encourage the blokes to maintain them collectively,” he stated. “As a result of this might have gone south, and I’m not simply speaking about wins and losses — from a persona, cohesion, customary so far as guys simply form of splintering and breaking off.”
Rodgers preached “hope” to Jets followers and stated something may occur over the ultimate seven video games.
Nonetheless, he acknowledged he hasn’t been the dynamic playmaker the Jets hoped he’d be.
“Well being clearly has been a giant problem for me,” Rodgers stated when requested to evaluate what the hardest points have been since coming to New York. “The opposite elements, there’s intangible issues, for positive. There’s guys that you simply get to know that you simply don’t know. You understand, you haven’t been round. There’s clearly (the) system, making an attempt to get on the identical web page. And there’s personalities that you have to get to know. You study you possibly can push sure guys and you have to pat sure guys. That’s a part of the method.
“It’s been really a very stunning couple of years for me in totality. But it surely’s clearly been irritating with the soccer half.”
