Rodgers acknowledges Jets could release him after season as he contemplates future

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Aaron Rodgers is still contemplating his playing future. The star quarterback knows if he returns to the field, it might be out of hands whether it’s with the New York Jets.

The 41-year-old Rodgers said last week that he’ll take some time after this season, his 20th in the NFL, to determine what he wants to do next. On Monday, he suggested a decision on whether he’ll return with the Jets could be made for him the day after the team’s regular-season finale.

“I think there’s a world where they just say, ‘Hey, thank you, we’re going to go in another direction,’ on Jan. 6,” Rodgers said during his weekly appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.

“That’s a possibility. I think there’s also a possibility we’re going to wait and see who the new staff is.”

The Jets have begun the process of searching for a general manager after Joe Douglas was fired last month. They’ll also be looking for a new coach after Robert Saleh was fired on Oct. 8 and replaced by defensive co-ordinator Jeff Ulbrich on an interim basis.

New York is 4-11 this season and will miss the playoffs for the 14th straight year, the longest active drought in the NFL. A major decision for owner Woody Johnson and the franchise will be whether they keep Rodgers — he’s under contract for next season — or part ways with the quarterback and have the new regime start fresh.

Rodgers has said his first preference if he decides to continue playing would be to do so with the Jets, and he reiterated Monday he’d be willing to take a pay cut and mentor a young quarterback if the team drafts one. But it’s unclear if Johnson shares the sentiment of wanting Rodgers back.

In a story published last week by The Athletic, anonymous sources described a level of dysfunction within the franchise. It included allegations that Johnson is influenced by his teenage sons Brick and Jack.

“Being released would be a first,” Rodgers said. “Being released by a teenager, that would also be a first.”

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He laughed at the notion, clearly referring to The Athletic‘s report.

“Hey, I’m open to everything and I’ll find the comedy in all of it,” Rodgers added. “If that happens, hey, it’s a great story.”

Rodgers was acquired from Green Bay during the 2023 offseason, but his debut with New York lasted only four snaps because he tore his left Achilles tendon. He made it back for this season’s opener, but he struggled with injuries to his knee, ankle and hamstring, and has been mostly inconsistent.

Rodgers threw his 499th regular-season touchdown pass in the Jets’ 19-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, one away from joining Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Brett Favre as the only players to reach 500. He has 24 TD passes and eight interceptions this season.

But the Jets have struggled this season, even with Rodgers under center. During his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, he suggested leaks within the organization might be affecting the team’s performance.

“When that gets figured out, it’ll be a little easier to win,” Rodgers said. “I mean, it doesn’t have a direct impact on the players on the field, but it has an impact on the culture and the chemistry and the overall energy of the building. And that’s what needs to get better.”