James Wilson 
Aaron Rodgers remains undecided about his football future beyond the current season, and it’s unclear if he will continue with the New York Jets.
The 41-year-old quarterback stated he is open to various possibilities during the offseason, which could include mentoring a younger player or renegotiating his contract to remain with the Jets. “Yeah, I’m open to everything,” Rodgers said after practice on Wednesday.
Rodgers, who is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, believes he could be healthier at the start of next season. “Yeah, it’s possible,” he remarked, adding with a smile, “Might be sitting on a beach, though.”
His future will be a key storyline as the offseason approaches, with uncertainty surrounding whether he will return to the Jets, retire, or explore opportunities elsewhere. However, he expressed a preference to stay in New York. “Yeah, I mean, there’s a lot of reasons why this would be a great opportunity,” he said. “But I’m going to see what happens. There’s a lot of things that have to happen.”
Rodgers referenced the Jets’ ongoing search for a new general manager and head coach following the dismissals of Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh earlier this season. “Whether or not I’m part of the conversation, or whether or not they move on,” he said, “whatever happens, I’ll be taking my time and thinking about my future.”
This season has not met Rodgers’ expectations, with the Jets currently sitting at 4-10 and out of playoff contention for the 14th consecutive year. He acknowledged that injuries, including issues with his knee, ankle, and hamstring, affected his performance, but he refrained from using them as excuses. “It’s a what-if game,” he said. “I felt like I was healthy enough to play, so I played.”
In his last two games, Rodgers has completed 43 of 69 passes (62% completion rate) for 628 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. In a recent 32-25 victory against Jacksonville, he threw for 289 yards and connected on two touchdown passes to Davante Adams and another to Garrett Wilson during a late comeback.
Despite his recent success, Rodgers emphasized that a strong finish to the season would not dictate his decision about returning next year. “No, I’m going to take some time after the year — unless, you know, I get released right away,” he said with a grin. “But I’ll still take some time whether or not I want to play.”
Rodgers is signed through next season with a base salary of $2.5 million, which is non-guaranteed. He is also due a $35 million option bonus before the regular season starts and would count $23.5 million against the salary cap. However, if he retires or is released, the Jets could face a $49 million dead money charge unless they designate him a June 1 cut, allowing them to spread the cost over two years. These considerations will be crucial for the team’s new leadership as they evaluate Rodgers’ ability to lead the Jets while staying healthy.
As the Jets are expected to have a top-10 pick in the upcoming draft, selecting a quarterback could be a possibility. Rodgers indicated he would welcome such a move if he remains with the team. He drew parallels to his own experience when the Green Bay Packers drafted Jordan Love in 2020. “When they drafted Jordan, I felt like I was one bad stretch from being benched, and I won MVP a couple years,” he said. “So if they ask me back and they drafted a guy, I’d mentor the hell out of him if I was playing. And I’d try to play as well as I could to keep him on the bench.”
NOTES: Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (hamstring), cornerback Michael Carter II (back), and right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle) did not participate in the team’s walkthrough practice. Running backs Braelon Allen (back) and Isaiah Davis (back), cornerback Brandin Echols (shoulder), right tackle Morgan Moses (knee), and linebacker Quincy Williams (knee) were limited. Safety Jaylen Mills was placed on injured reserve after breaking his collarbone during an interception at Jacksonville. Defensive tackle Leki Fotu, currently on injured reserve with a knee injury, had his practice window opened.
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