Aaron Rodgers Won't Play In 2023 But Eyes Two More Seasons As Jets QB And Much More
Aaron Rodgers is not playing this season so his focus has shifted from being the quarterback of the New York Jets to being a powerful voice within the organization that expects to have significant say the next couple of seasons.
Rodgers, in his weekly paid appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, confirmed on Tuesday he's not playing this year.
"If I was 100 percent today, I'd be definitely pushing to play," Rodgers said. "But the fact is I'm not."
Aaron Rodgers Plans To Play Through 2025
So Rodgers quickly pivoted to the future and by that he means the 2024 and 2025 season because he thinks next season won't be his last in New York.
"I don't think so," Rodgers said. "When I came here that I got kind of a renewed passion and love for the game and everything has been amazing here, the relationships I've gotten to form with my teammates and amazing men and women that work here ... I've wanted at least two years.
"I feel like this year is kind of a lost year. I only played a couple of snaps and wasn't able to go out there and prove what I was capable of and see what we're capable of as a team. And I don't think next year will be my last year."
Rodgers turned 40-years-old on Dec. 2. But he doesn't think that will keep him from playing a couple of years longer.
"I feel I can play more years and I can be effective in my 40s, which is crazy because I thought I would probably be sitting on the couch somewhere at 40," Rodgers said. "But now I want to be a starter at 40, I want to be a starter at 41. See what I can get out of this body."
Head coach Robert Saleh of the New York Jets smiles prior to an NFL football game against the Chiefs. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Jets Robert Saleh Has Bad Record But Right Stuff
And because Rodgers is thinking at least one and probably two years ahead for himself, he has already turned his attention toward the team around him.
The pretty flawed team around him.
The Jets are tied for the second-worst record in the AFC. Coach Robert Saleh has a 16-32 record in his three seasons so far and 2-13 in December. And general manager Joe Douglas put together a roster that, well, fell apart after Rodgers was injured.
Backup quarterback Zach Wilson, who Douglas drafted with the No. 2 overall selection in the 2021 draft, has been a bust even as a backup. The offensive line has been decimated by injuries, which on the surface shouldn't be blamed on Douglas.
But some of those injuries were predictable -- such as depending on 38-year-old Duane Brown coming off an injury to remain healthy.
Oh, and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett has authored an offense that is anemic, averaging only 14.4 points per game. That's third-worst in the NFL.
New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas attends a press conference to introduce Aaron Rodgers. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Jets GM Joe Douglas A Rodgers Favorite
Despite all these sour notes, Rodgers is calling to keep the band together.
"I believe in Joe Douglas, I think he's put together a lot of great drafts, and a great roster ...," Rodgers said. "I believe in Robert Saleh. Think he's a fantastic coach. He's about the right stuff and what you emphasize you're going to get. And I believe he emphasizes the right things and being about the right stuff -- how to be a professional."
That's not all.
"I believe in Nate Hackett," Rodgers added. "Always said I believe the offense that he runs is quarterback friendly. And obviously it was geared around me and my abilities and what I do well. And my ability to get us to the line of scrimmage and get us into a good play and survive bad plays."
That last part is interesting because if Hackett was such a good coach, one would think he would have lightened the load of the quarterback's pre-snap assignments once his starting quarterback went down.
Rodgers got a chance to play assistant general manager for the Jets this year, as he suggested names of players the team should add, several of them from the Green Bay Packers where he previously played.
Most of those players, including receivers Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, have had unremarkable seasons. Despite this, Rodgers will continue to make his opinions about the roster known.
"It's not a situation where we have to rebuild," Rodgers said. "We have to reload a little bit. There will be some tough decisions for sure but I like the pieces we have in place."
Aaron Rodgers on the field after rupturing his Achilles tendon in September. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
Aaron Rodgers Has Opinions About Jets Roster
Rodgers is talking about the future because the present, which he hoped would include playing this coming weekend, is not going to include him playing at all.
"I think the whole time it's been hoping we're still in it," Rodgers said. "Because it was unrealistic to think that I would be 100 percent to be medically cleared at any point during the regular season. I do feel in the next three or four weeks it would be very possible to get to 100 percent, but obviously not there.
"I'm 14 weeks tomorrow from my surgery and being medically cleared as healed was just not realistic at 14 weeks."
A conversation about clearing Rodgers despite him not crossing the 100 percent threshold if the Jets were still mathematically alive for the playoffs.
"There still would have been a conversation," Rodgers said.
But as OutKick outlined on Sunday, that was rendered moot after a loss to the Dolphins eliminated the team from playoff contention.
"I'm not going to slow my rehab down," Rodgers said. "I'm going to keep attacking it every single day, but without a timetable to come back, obviously we can be as smart as we need to be."