Aaron Rodgers’ future with the New York Jets is incredibly murky. One of the big reasons for that is the complicated nature of his contract.
On Wednesday, December 18 a media member asked Rodgers if he would consider altering his contract and/or taking another pay cut to potentially remain with the team in 2025.
“Yeah I’m open to everything,” Rodgers responded.
The four-time NFL MVP made history when he was traded from the Green Bay Packers to the Jets. He took the largest pay cut in sports history giving back $35 million in guaranteed money to the Jets so they could improve the team around him.
Rodgers Answers a Massive Financial Question
In 2025 Rodgers has a manageable $23.5 million cap hit. However, what complicates the deal is the floating $35 million option bonus. That is a team option that can be exercised anywhere from the beginning of the offseason to the start of the 2025 season which puts the power and control in the Jets’ hands.
The enigma that is Rodgers, the financials, and his advancing age (41) are all working against him. However, it would be easier to stomach the Rodgers experience if he was willing to rework the money – which according to Rodgers is something he is open to.
If Rodgers was 10 or 15 years younger every team in the NFL would do backflips to acquire him. However, at 41 years of age, it would take a very specific team in a very specific situation to want him in 2025.
If Rodgers wants to play football next season, he will have limited options available. That benefits the Jets because Rodgers, in theory, should be more willing to take a pay cut to stay with the Jets if that is his only option to play football in 2025.
A-Rod Provides the Perfect Answer to a Pressing Jets Question
You can make a case that Rodgers can be the starting QB for the Jets next season. However three to five years down the line he isn’t going to be the starter.
A new regime could be interested in drafting their own young quarterback to develop for the future.
Rodgers was asked about that hypothetical situation potentially happening this offseason for the Jets and how he would respond to it.
“If they ask me back & they drafted a guy, I’d mentor the hell out of him if I was playing & I’d try to play as well as I could to keep him on the bench,” Rodgers responded with a smile.
I love how Aaron Rodgers responded to Rich Cimini’s hypothetical about the #Jets drafting a young QB in 2025 & him potentially returning.
‘If they ask me back & they drafted a guy, I’d mentor the hell out of him if I was playing & I’d try to play as well as I could to keep him… pic.twitter.com/YY5Fh1l4NQ
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) December 18, 2024
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In Rodgers’ new documentary on Netflix, “Enigma”, there is a scene explaining his relationship with Brett Favre when he came into the league. Long story short, it wasn’t a rosy picture. Favre was threatened by Rodgers and Favre made things uncomfortable.
Fast forward to when the Packers drafted Jordan Love in 2020, Rodgers handled things a lot differently than Favre did.
He was praised in the documentary by Love and Packers’ head coach Matt LaFleur for how he handled it and going out of his way to mentor Love.
An interesting clip from the new Rodgers doc on him mentoring Jordan Love pic.twitter.com/E4mcSoAnpO
— Will Parkinson (@Willpa11) December 18, 2024
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If Rodgers is open to a pay cut and mentoring a young quarterback, maybe he is the perfect answer for the Jets at the QB position in 2025.
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