By Zack Rosenblatt, Dianna Russini, RJ Kraft and Jenna West
The New York Jets announced Thursday what had been reported over the weekend — the team is moving on from quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
The Jets’ new regime of head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey has decided to start fresh at the quarterback position and part ways with the four-time NFL MVP.
“Last week we met with Aaron and shared that our intention was to move in a different direction at quarterback,” Glenn and Mougey said in a statement from the team. “It was important to have this discussion now to provide clarity and enable each of us the proper time to plan for our respective futures. We want to thank him for the leadership, passion and dedication he brought to the organization and wish him success moving forward.”
Heading into the meeting, the Jets were undecided on whether to go forward with Rodgers but were open to the possibility if Rodgers agreed to make adjustments. Those stipulations included outside media work during the season, and a requirement that he attend all mandatory offseason workouts, according to team and league sources. The tone of the meeting was much different than when a Jets contingent recruited Rodgers two years ago. Glenn and Mougey were not contentious, but they were clear regarding what the expectations for Rodgers would be. A team source viewed it as a necessary step in emphasizing a higher level of accountability that would apply to every player on the roster.
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Rodgers spent two seasons with the Jets after being acquired in a trade from the Green Bay Packers — the team that he spent 18 seasons with — in April 2023. Expectations were high for the Rodgers-Jets marriage, but it took a sudden turn just four plays into the 2023 season when he tore his Achilles and went on to miss the rest of the year.
In 2024, Rodgers started every game for the Jets and threw for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, but his 90.5 passer rating was the lowest Rodgers had in a full season. The team finished 5-12 in a drama-filled season that saw coach Robert Saleh dismissed after just five games, offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett lose his play-calling duties, wide receiver (and close Rodgers’ friend) Davante Adams acquired in a mid-October trade and general manager Joe Douglas let go in November. In his final game with the Jets, Rodgers became the fifth quarterback in NFL history to throw 500 touchdown passes.
“I personally want to thank Aaron for his time at the New York Jets,” team owner Woody Johnson said in a statement from the team. “His arrival in 2023 was met with unbridled excitement and I will forever be grateful that he chose to join us to continue his Hall of Fame career. From day one, he embodied all that it meant to be a New York Jet, embraced our fans, and immersed himself in our city. That is what I will remember most when I look back at his time here. He will always be welcome, and I wish him only the best in whatever he chooses to do next.”
When asked about his Jets future after the end of the season, Rodgers said the team’s impending coach and general manager hires would be primary factors in the decision.
“I think everybody understands that it’s gonna come down to a GM and a coach and myself and whether we all want to do a dance together or if it’s not in the cards,” Rodgers said in early January.
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The Jets are expected to release Rodgers with a post-June 1 designation, which would spread out the $49 million dead cap penalty over two seasons instead of the team taking that on all in 2025. By doing that, the Jets would save $9.5 million against the cap this offseason, though that wouldn’t hit their books until June 1. If the Jets opted to eat Rodgers’ contract before June 1, they would take on the full $49 million dead cap hit this offseason and lose $25.5 million in cap space.
How did we get here?
It has felt like the Jets and Rodgers were headed for a divorce since long before they hired the new regime of Glenn and Mougey. Rodgers has publicly and privately expressed his discontent with how Johnson handled himself throughout the 2024 season. To Johnson’s credit, despite any ill will he might’ve had for Rodgers taking shots at him publicly, he gave Glenn and Mougey leeway to decide on their own.
If Rodgers was going to return, it was only going to work under a few conditions — namely that Rodgers understood that no player is above the team, even him. With the Jets fully going in a new direction and building for the future, letting Rodgers go is the most sensible outcome.
Rodgers statistically had one of the best quarterback seasons in team history in 2024, though that didn’t tell the whole story — he was wildly inconsistent, is turning 42 in 2025 and doesn’t fit their timeline anymore. Expect wide receivers Adams and Allen Lazard to follow Rodgers out the door. — Zack Rosenblatt, Jets beat writer
What’s next for the Jets?
The options aren’t especially appealing. With this news, veteran Tyrod Taylor and injured 2024 draft pick Jordan Travis are the only quarterbacks on the roster, and it’s not considered a particularly strong draft or free-agent class. Former Jets QB Sam Darnold will be the top free agent and maybe he’d consider returning but that feels unlikely at this juncture. Kirk Cousins will likely break free from the Atlanta Falcons in some fashion, but he’s turning 37 and coming off his worst season, benched for Michael Penix Jr.
The Jets could take a swing at somebody like Justin Fields or trade for Detroit Lions backup Hendon Hooker — who has ties to the Jets coaching staff — but neither option would indicate the Jets should be taken seriously as playoff contenders this season. The Jets have the No. 7 draft pick, which is out of the range of the top quarterback prospects in this class, too. — Rosenblatt
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(Photo: Luke Hales / Getty Images)
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