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Rich Cimini, ESPN writer
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers will make his 241st career start on Sunday. It could be the last.
“Yes, of course,” he said Wednesday, acknowledging that thought is on his mind as he prepares for Sunday’s season finale against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium.
Rodgers, 41, said he will decide before free agency in March whether he will play in 2025, joking that this time he won’t need a dark retirement to aid his thought process.
In a reflective mood, Rodgers said he has “a lot of gratitude for the last 20 years,” adding that he is grateful for the many coaches and teammates he has met on his football journey from high school to the Jets. It sounded like he was thinking a lot about retirement.
“I think there’s going to be change here, and if I’m part of the change, then I just want to make sure everyone knows that I have nothing but gratitude for my time here.”
Aaron Rodgers
“This game has given me a lot,” he said. “I’ve given a lot back and I’m grateful for that. I won’t think about it on game day. I’ll just enjoy this. I’m trying to stay in the moment, but of course, it’s been a long career. I’m very proud of what I’ve been able to do.” be part of what I have been able to achieve and I also hope to have good mental and physical health.”
The former Green Bay Packers legend left open the possibility of returning to the Jets, if the new regime wants him back, but he didn’t seem too optimistic about it.
“I’m just more resigned to the reality of the situation,” Rodgers said. “I think there’s going to be change here, and if I’m part of the change, then I just want to make sure everyone knows that I have nothing but gratitude for my time here.”
Rodgers, hired by the Jets in April 2023, called them “the two best years of my life.” He certainly wasn’t referring to what happened in the field. After missing almost the entire 2023 season with a torn Achilles tendon, Rodgers has not lived up to expectations. He ranks 25th among 33 qualified passers in total QBR, with 24 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions, just the fourth time in his career he’s had double-digit interceptions. The Jets, who entered the season with Super Bowl aspirations, are 4-12.
“I’m disappointed in my performance with myself and as a team, but really grateful for the opportunity,” Rodgers said. “If I feel good coming back and they want to try again, that would be great, but I’m not naïve to the situation we’re in.”
The Jets, who fired coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas during the season, have begun searching for replacements. A new regime likely means a change of quarterback. Rodgers, who is under contract through 2025, said he hopes to speak with the next general manager at some point to get a sense of the organization’s thinking.
First he wants to rest. The routine of rehabilitating his surgically repaired Achilles tendon took a physical and mental toll, he said. He believes that with adequate rest during the offseason and one more year without surgery, he could be better in 2025.
“I need a mental break,” he said.
Rodgers is on the verge of becoming the fifth player in NFL history with 500 touchdown passes. With 62,678 yards, he needs just 115 to pass Matt Ryan for seventh on the career list.
“To be even a small part of their story is an honor,” interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said. “And if it turns out to be his last game, let’s do it on the right note.”
Wide receiver Garrett Wilson, whose relationship with Rodgers has come under scrutiny, told ESPN that “it’s a blessing” to play with the four-time MVP. “It’s something I’ll tell my kids about.”
Wilson has expressed frustration with his role in the offense, fueling speculation that he is at odds with Rodgers.
“Yeah, I’ve seen some of that,” Wilson said. “Yeah, I mean, there’s no truth to that. At the end of the day, I don’t talk about stuff like that because social media isn’t real.
“This is the first time I’ve addressed it,” he continued. “Those things are just words for people trying to find a way to divide us more than they have already tried, as if the record isn’t enough. Obviously, we have a lot of things to do here, especially this season, trying. “Unfortunately, “We couldn’t get out of this hole, but my feet are where they are and I’m going to try to finish this the right way.”
