New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers said Tuesday he would prefer to remain with the team if he plays next season.
Rodgers, 40, did not commit to returning to play in 2025, but he said the Jets would be his top choice if he decides to do so.
“As far as my future goes, I haven’t told anybody in my life that I want to play in 2025 and not on the Jets,” Rodgers said on ESPN's "The Pat McAfee Show," addressing rumors he would like to play elsewhere.
He then added: “I’m not jumping off ship. ... I don’t even know if I want to play yet, but New York would be my first option.”
Rodgers’s future both in the NFL and with New York has been called into question amid his own and the team’s struggles so far this season.
The three-time MVP is averaging the fewest yards per attempt of his career in 2024, with his worst passer rating since he became a full-time starter in 2008. And the Jets are 3-8, having lost seven of their last eight games.
On Nov. 23, The Athletic’s Diana Russini reported her “understanding” was that Rodgers wanted to play again next season, but not with New York.
Rodgers said his decision would be based in part on who is coaching the team and leading the front office next year. The Jets fired head coach Robert Saleh in October, and then fired general manager Joe Douglas this month.
New York traded for Rodgers before the 2023 season, but his tenure has been marked by disappointment.
He played only four snaps last season before tearing his Achilles, causing him to miss the rest of the year. In June, Rodgers was fined for an “unexcused absence” after he skipped a mandatory practice for a planned trip to Egypt. And through 11 games this season, the Jets are in 12th place in the AFC.
New York owes Rodgers $23.5 million next season. If the Jets were to cut or trade Rodgers after the season, it would cost them $25.5 million against the salary cap. If the quarterback is cut or traded after June 1, New York would gain $9.5 million in cap space.
The Jets next play Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.
