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NFL Insider Weighs in on One Big Reason Why Aaron Rodgers Would Play in 2025
The Aaron Rodgers era in New York has yielded all of three victories in its two years. Things are always changing but it's hard to imagine a deeper rock bottom than the one the quarterback and franchise find themselves in. There's widespread speculation that the aging quarterback will not be on the field week in and week out as Gang Green essentially plays out the season with no meaningful carrots to chase. And connected to that is the discussion about Rodgers' future and if there's any way that involves suiting up for the Jets in 2025.
Or if he even wants to run it back for a season that will see him turn 41 years-old.
The Athletic's NFL insider Dianna Russini discussed all of that on her weekly Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz hit on Tuesday morning, laying out why she believes Rodgers will be motivated to write a different final chapter.
"The reason why I also strongly believe that Aaron Rodgers doesn't want to stop playing is that he doesn't want this gigantic blemish to be the way that it ends," she said.
How many teams would be interested in Aaron Rodgers if he leaves the New York Jets?
— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) November 26, 2024
"The reason why I also strongly believe that Aaron Rodgers doesn't want to stop playing is that he doesn't want this gigantic blemish to be the way that it ends." @DMRussini on the future of… pic.twitter.com/GS8g1NbP6i
That makes a ton of sense. Any athlete who has had as stellar of a career as Rodgers—heck any athlete really—wants to go out on good terms and with the wind at their back. This particular experiment with the Jets has gone more wrong than even the biggest pessimist felt confident predicting.
The Jets need a permanent answer at head coach and general manager so there's plenty to take care of on top of the quarterback situation. Other landing spots for Rodgers conceivably exist but it will take a franchise with a healthy appetite for risk.
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Kyle Koster is an assistant managing editor at Sports Illustrated covering the intersection of sports and media. He was formerly the editor in chief of The Big Lead, where he worked from 2011 to '24. Koster also did turns at the Chicago Sun-Times, where he created the Sports Pros(e) blog, and at Woven Digital.