In recent weeks, 40-year-old veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers has continued to insist that he intends to keep playing next year for the 2025 NFL season, though this insistence has been fairly noncommittal. Even more uncertain appears to be where Rodgers would play next season should he return to the NFL.
There’s a chance Rodgers won’t want to return. According to Connor Hughes of SportsNet New York, “stability is believed to be the deciding factor on Rodgers returning for a third year with the Jets,” and New York has been anything but stable. Head coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett have already been fired, general manager Joe Douglas could find his job in jeopardy, as well, and owner Woody Johnson will go back to his duties as Ambassador to the U.K. after addressing the staff this offseason.
Now, the departures of Saleh and Hackett aren’t necessarily the indicators of instability that will chase Rodgers; in fact, they may have been a result of Rodgers’ wishes. Stability would really be defined by Douglas and interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich remaining in place after this year. Rodgers has claimed that he would like to play for Ulbrich “until the end,” but as the Jets continue to reap the results of attempting to satisfy Rodgers, he may not have as much pull as he used to.
On the other side, Ulbrich has claimed that he “absolutely” wants Rodgers playing for him next season. That opinion only really matter, though, if Ulbrich is appointed the official head coaching job, striking “interim” off his job title. In the last 10 years, only three of 23 interim coaches have been hired as head coach for the following season. Neither Mike Mularkey nor Doug Marrone lasted long in Tennessee and Jacksonville, respectively, and Antonio Pierce is having a rough first full season in Las Vegas.
If Ulbrich isn’t hired to remain as the skipper, even if Rodgers wants to come back, the Jets may have other plans. With a new regime in place, the Jets may want to move on from a passer that would be turning 42 next season. With no guaranteed money left on the last remaining year of his deal, it would be fairly simple to move on from Rodgers financially.
Replacing Rodgers may not be the easiest thing to make happen, though. Currently, Sam Darnold and Russell Wilson are the only two full-time starters set to hit the free agent market following the season. While both are having resurgent seasons with new teams, Wilson is…