Aaron Rodgers Hints at Retirement, Hasn’t Made Decision About 2025

Aaron Rodgers knows his NFL playing days are coming to an end — it’s just a matter of when.

The New York Jets quarterback, 40, who is in the midst of a disastrous 3-8 season, candidly acknowledged the impending threat of Father Time in a Tuesday, November 26 appearance on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show. 

“When you’re 40 going on 41, you’re at the end of your career,” Rodgers told McAfee, 37. “There’s a lot of things, obviously. If it’s New York, they have to want me to be here. If I can stay healthy the rest of the year and play the way I want to play, and everybody feels good about bringing me back, then there’s a decision there. At this point I am open to everything and attached to nothing.”

Rodgers — who is owed $23.5 million by the Jets in 2025, the final year of his restructured three-year contract — was responding to a Saturday, November 23 story by The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, who reported Rodgers was not interested in playing for the Jets next season. 

“I haven’t told anybody in my life, ‘I want to play in 2025 and not in the Jets,’” Rodgers argued. “That’s 100% false. I actually said the opposite. I said that I’m going to wait and see what happens at the end of the season and if they want me back.”

Rodgers added, “I’ve really enjoyed my time in New York. Obviously, we haven’t had the success we’ve all wanted to have, but I’ve made some great friendships in the team. I’ve enjoyed living in Jersey, I’ve enjoyed the time in the city. I’ve enjoyed getting to know the fans. And I came here to win here, so I’m not jumping off ship like, ‘I definitely want to play and not in New York.’”

After spending the first 18 seasons of his NFL career with the Green Bay Packers, Rodgers signed with the Jets in April 2023. However, just four snaps into the season, Rodgers tore his Achilles and was out for the remainder of the season. 

Rodgers professed to be healthy at the start of the 2024 season, but things have not gone well for the Jets, who entered the season with Super Bowl aspirations.

The team fired head coach Robert Saleh in October after a 2-3 start, and then Jets’ general manager Joe Douglas was fired on Tuesday, November 19 following a 28-27 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, November 17. 

For all of his team’s struggles, Rodgers claimed to be feeling just fine physically. 

“I feel great right now after a week off,” Rodgers told McAfee after the team’s bye week. “I will not willingly go on [injured reserve] without an injury. First of all, I’ve played 20 years, I know my body better than anybody. Second of all, I got a great relationship with the doctors on staff and we’ve had a lot of great conversations.”

The Jets return to action Sunday, December 1 against the Seattle Seahawks.