- Aaron Rodgers could leave the Jets after one full season playing for the team
NFL fans have a wild idea about where Aaron Rodgers could be playing next season – and it would mirror the path of another legendary quarterback.
Rodgers’ future with the Jets appears to be in question following the franchise’s firing of GM Joe Douglas, the architect of New York’s trade for the former Green Bay passer.
With the 3-8 Jets also set to look for a new head coach after firing Robert Saleh earlier this season, the franchise is reportedly expected to move on from Rodgers – and fans think he could emulate his Packers predecessor Brett Favre in ending his career with the Vikings.
The idea was first floated by Packers podcaster Andy Herman, who claimed the scenario was ‘way closer’ to coming to fruition than people realized.
As Herman pointed out, Minnesota’s Sam Darnold could be seeking a long-term deal after his impressive season, and the team’s likely quarterback of the future, rookie J.J. McCarthy, will be coming off of a knee injury which cost him this entire year.
Aaron Rodgers’ Jets future appears to be up in the air with the team currently 3-8
And some fans think he could follow in Brett Favre’s footsteps and end his career in Minnesota
Forty-year-old Rodgers of course viewed the Vikings as an NFC North rival during his 18 years in Green Bay, but some fans on X agreed that he could end his career in purple.
‘That all makes sense and I hate it,’ one said in response to Herman.’
‘He’s following in Farve’s footsteps. Green Bay—>Jets—>Vikings. It is inevitable,’ another added. ‘All great Packers end their careers at the Vikings when they are past their prime
‘lol I’ve been seeing this exact scenario for a couple of weeks,’ a third said.
Others, however, were not fond of the idea.
‘He is a locker room cancer, is over 40, is cooked,’ one said. ‘If JJ [McCarthy] isn’t ready then you just find another Sam Darnold type on a one year contract as a plan B. Flacco/Winston/Jones etc
‘I don’t know if Rodgers would go for that. The jets gave him stuff, the vikes won’t,’ a second fan chimed in.
After sending two-second round picks, a sixth-rounder and a first-round pick swap to Green Bay for Rodgers, the Jets signed his longtime teammate Allen Lazard and hired his close friend Nathaniel Hackett as offensive coordinator.
Joe Douglas, the architect of the Jets’ trade for Rodgers, was fired as the team’s GM this week
Rodgers has 17 passing touchdowns this season but the team has struggled to score points
The Jets also traded for Rodgers’ longtime Packers teammate and close pal Davante Adams last month.
However, things have not gone to plan at all as Hackett was stripped of his play-calling duties earlier this season, while the team has spiraled and lost seven of its last eight games.
Following Douglas’ exit as GM, a source told ESPN’s Rich Cimini that they’d be ‘shocked’ if Rodgers was brought back in 2025.
The quarterback’s $23.5 million cap hit next year is reportedly not guaranteed.
Owner Woody Johnson has allegedly had doubts over Rodgers for quite some time, as The Athletic reported that he suggested benching him for Tyrod Taylor after the team’s Week 2 loss to the Broncos.
Only six players have more passing touchdowns that Rodgers’ 17 this season, but the Jets have just the 26th-ranked scoring offense (of 32) in the league at 18.5 points per contest.
The Jets’ playoff chances are extremely slim with six games to go, but Rodgers and Co. will try and salvage what could end up being his final year in New York.
