The end of the Aaron Rodgers era in New York is nigh.
After two seasons with the Jets, the future Hall of Fame quarterback is currently considered a "long shot" to return to the team in 2025, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday on NFL GameDay Morning.
Rodgers' exit after the campaign would complete a total exodus of the triumvirate that led Gang Green into the 2024 season. Head coach Robert Saleh was fired on Oct. 5, while general manager Joe Douglas was ousted on Nov. 19.
The soon-to-be 41-year-old QB has one year remaining on his deal with the Jets, but there is no guaranteed money left, and Rodgers is due a $35 million option bonus if New York decides to bring him back. The uncertainty around the organization could move him and the brass-to-be to part ways.
"Those conversations will happen with the new power brokers after the year," Rapoport said, "but that is my understanding of where it stands right now."
The Jets have already begun the search for their new GM and HC. Owner Woody Johnson will lead the hiring process, as former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum, former Vikings GM Rick Spielman and The 33rd Team "help identify and vet candidates in addition to coordinate interviews." How Rodgers factors into those searches is yet to be determined.
Last Sunday, Rapoport reported that there was uncertainty surrounding Rodgers' future with the club and that the QB would have to play far better down the stretch, beginning Sunday against Seattle, to have a place on the Jets' roster in the future.
In his return from a torn Achilles, Rodgers has completed 63.4 percent of his passes for 2,442 yards, 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions in leading New York to a disappointing 3-8 record. Dealing with a number of injuries and decreased mobility, Rodgers has at times looked like a shell of himself. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said recently the Jets have no plans to shut him down for the season.
The veteran QB said this week that his future with the Jets and in the NFL is uncertain, but he would prefer to play in New York if he was to play in 2025.
"I think at this point I'm open to everything and attached to nothing," Rodgers said. "It's a good place to be."
