The news came down hours before Super Bowl LIX kicked off on Sunday and became official Thursday: Aaron Rodgers is leaving New York.
The Jets announced on Thursday they are moving on from the quarterback. The move is expected to be designated as a post-June 1 release in order to alleviate the associated salary cap burden, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported.
"Last week we met with Aaron and shared that our intention was to move in a different direction at quarterback," new head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey said in a statement. "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."
Rodgers' future had been uncertain for months, and while he'd expressed a willingness to return to the Jets in 2025 -- if they'd have him -- it became increasingly likelier they'd be parting as their disappointing campaign wound down.
Still, Rodgers deserves some commendation for his efforts, even if they fell short of the sky-high expectations that followed the trade that sent Rodgers to the Big Apple back in 2023. He worked his way back from the torn Achilles suffered just four snaps into his Jets tenure in 2023 and managed to start all 17 games for the Jets in 2024, finishing eighth in total passing yards (3,897) and posting a 28-11 TD-INT ratio at 41 years old.
"I personally want to thank Aaron for his time at the New York Jets," Jets owner Woody Johnson said in a statement. "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."
It appears as though Johnson's statement set up the perfect segue for us: What will Rodgers do next? He proved in 2024 he can still spin it well enough to attract interest from quarterback-needy teams, and according to league rules, the Jets' announcement has cleared the way for other interested clubs to communicate with Rodgers.
So, with that said, here are four potential landing spots for the future Hall of Famer (in order of best fit):
This would obviously be a hilariously fitting outcome for all of us who have tracked the Rodgers saga over the last five years, especially when considering Rodgers once watched his pal Davante Adams traded to Las Vegas in 2022 to play with his college buddy, Derek Carr, stranding Rodgers with a young cast of pass-catchers who ended up influencing his decision to leave for New York. Time is a flat circle, or whatever, right? But this pairing actually makes sense for a few reasons: Tom Brady's minority ownership seems to carry a ton of influence over the organization, and it wouldn't be a surprise if he pushed the Raiders to pursue a fellow legend who, like Brady, needed a new home to finish out his career. The Raiders have a new regime led by Pete Carroll with zero connection to Aidan O'Connell, clearing a path for them to pursue a new signal-caller, but because they won their way out of a top-five pick, it's less certain they'll land one in this draft than it was in early December. Why not add a bridge in Rodgers for a one-year stint to protect against the situation they found themselves in last season? Sure, it'll attract attention, but the Raiders have never been a shy franchise. Plus, it'll likely go better than that one-year trial went with Matt Schaub back in 2014.
The only quarterback returning to the Giants in 2025 is Tommy DeVito, and while we all enjoyed the brief magical run that was the Tommy Cutlets era in 2023, we learned it wasn't dependable last season. Like the Raiders, the Giants won their way out of a prime draft position to select a quarterback, though one could fall to them at No. 3 if the Browns or Titans don't select a signal-caller ahead of Big Blue. Brian Daboll also is coaching for his job in 2025 and indicated in the latter stages of 2024 he could lead the Giants to victory if, as he said, "you get good quarterback play." Rodgers wasn't elite in 2024, but he was certainly better than any quarterback the Giants played, making for an ideal partnership between a coach seeking immediate results and a passer seeking purpose for one more season. Yes, Rodgers switching sides in New York would be comical, but it's not difficult to imagine the Giants welcoming him to their side of MetLife Stadium as a bridge to their future. If they draft a quarterback in April, Rodgers can also fulfill the mentor role he said he was willing to take on in his final months with the Jets. Plus, the New York tabloids would have a field day with it. Why not?
Like the Giants, the Browns don't have a promising option returning to their team in 2025. At this stage, they appear content with riding out the remaining years of Deshaun Watson's contract without playing him, and it's obvious they need to add talent to the QB room. They're in position to take a quarterback at No. 2 overall in April's draft, but if they don't like Miami's Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders enough to spend the pick on either of them, they can choose a veteran and take their preferred quarterback (Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart, perhaps?) with a later pick and without applying pressure on a rookie to immediately save their franchise. I've seen Cleveland as an ideal landing spot for Kirk Cousins, but that could possibly require Cleveland to swing a deal for the veteran. Rodgers could be a secondary option in this grand scheme, even if it means they'll continue to attract attention for their revolving door under center. The fit isn't as seamless as it would be with Cousins, who has a history with Kevin Stefanski, but such a partnership could end up looking much like the Joe Flacco era in Cleveland. Results, however, may vary.
Steelers owner Art Rooney II already stated he doesn't expect Pittsburgh to retain both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields in 2025, but believes they'll bring one of them back. Why not open the door to an alternate reality in which neither return, and the impatience of the Steelers' organization -- an oxymoron, I know -- drives them to chase Rodgers with the hope he can finally deliver that fleeting playoff victory? Mike Tomlin certainly won't make the concessions previous coaches have made for Rodgers, which could present a hurdle in such a pairing, but Rodgers' willingness to mentor a youngster in New York already suggested he's softening on some of his usual demands. At 41 years old, he doesn't have much leverage anymore, anyway; why not join a venerated franchise in one final pursuit of football glory?
