Jets are aiming to win in 2025 without Aaron Rodgers

By Canadian Press on February 25, 2025.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The New York Jets are aiming to win in 2025 without Aaron Rodgers.

New general manager Darren Mougey said Tuesday the team never gave Rodgers any ultimatum or rules for him to return. He and coach Aaron Glenn simply decided it was in the team’s best interest to move on with a different starting quarterback.

“A lot of respect for Aaron Rodgers as a player and a person, first-ballot Hall of Famer, wish him nothing but the best,” Mougey said at the NFL scouting combine. “But that was a decision we made and look forward to kind of moving past that and into this next process here with free agency and the draft.”

The Jets announced nearly two weeks ago that they told the 41-year-old Rodgers they were moving on from him. The four-time MVP, who’s the fifth player in NFL history to throw 500 touchdown passes in the regular season, has one year left on his contract, worth a non-guaranteed $37.5 million.

The decision wasn’t overly popular with the rest of the team despite New York’s struggles with Rodgers last season when the team finished 5-12.

Three-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Quinnen Williams posted a thumbs-down emoji on X in response to the team’s decision to part with Rodgers.

Glenn said he spoke with Williams and understands the negative reaction.

“Every decision that me and (Mougey) make is to win and to win now, Glenn said. “So, I understand it, but again: Listen, this is not going to be the last decision I make that’s going to upset some people, and that’s OK. But as men, we talk about it. We make sure we keep it in-house, and that’s what we’re going to continue to do.”

The Jets acquired Rodgers from Green Bay in April 2023, hoping he would help the franchise end a Super Bowl drought that dates to the glory days of Joe Namath and the 1968 season. But Rodgers played just four snaps in 2023 before a torn left Achilles tendon ended his season and sank the Jets’ Super Bowl hopes. Rodgers started every game this past season, but he and the offense were inconsistent and coach Robert Saleh was fired with the team off to a 2-3 start.

Mougey, meanwhile, had little to say about wide receiver Davante Adams’ future with the Jets. He’s scheduled to make $35.64 million in each of the next two years, so the team could ask him to redo his deal or he could be released in the next few months. Adams also said after the season that Rodgers’ future could play a factor in his decision.

“He’s on the team now,” Mougey said.

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Rob Maaddi, The Associated Press