Aaron Rodgers first walked through the doors of the New York Jets‘ facility nearly two years ago hailed as a potential savior for a frustrated franchise.
Not much has changed since. Especially all the losing.
Now, one of the game’s greatest quarterbacks could leave the Jets just as he found them — with a lonely Super Bowl trophy in their front lobby from their only title (1969) and a playoff drought that has reached an NFL-worst 14 seasons.
“I put my heart into this, and I wanted it really bad — and it didn’t work this year,” Rodgers said after the Jets’ season-ending win over the Dolphins on Sunday left them with a 5-12 record. “We came up short, and I played four plays last year. So, it’s overall disappointing.”
The 41-year-old quarterback’s debut last season after so much preseason hype was cut short by a torn Achilles tendon. He started all 17 games this season, but his play — along with that of most of the team — was up and down, especially while he was dealing with a few other nagging leg injuries.
Owner Woody Johnson and his staff are already deep into their search for a new general manager and head coach after Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh were fired during the season. The new regime will face one major question right off the bat: What to do with Rodgers?
The four-time MVP has one year of nonguaranteed money left on his contract. But he would be due a $35 million option bonus before the regular season begins and count $23.5 million against the salary cap. If Rodgers is cut or retires, the Jets could absorb a $49 million dead money charge next year unless they designate him a post-June 1 cut and can spread out that charge over two years.
Aaron Rodgers discusses Jets future after dominant win over Dolphins | NFL on FOX
Rodgers, the fifth player in NFL history to throw 500 regular-season touchdown passes, also is uncertain if he even wants to continue playing, saying he’ll take some time during the offseason to determine that.
“There’s obviously a lot of hypotheticals here,” Rodgers said. “If I want to play — hypothetical No. 1. If they want to move on — hypothetical No. 2. Would I be willing to play for another team — hypothetical No. 3.”
And then with a smile, Rodgers added: “The answer is yes.”
His season will rank statistically as one of the best in franchise history: His 28 touchdown passes and 3,897 yards passing are both the third best in the team’s single-season performances. But there weren’t nearly enough big plays, consistency or victories.
“Whether I’m back or whether it’s the guys they’ve got or new guys or whatever, the focus has to be how can I, the player, be part of the solution, not the problem?” Rodgers said. “And I have a lot of love for this organization and I hope it gets turned around. If I’m back part of it, I’ll do everything in my power to get it turned around.”
Following the game on Sunday, FOX Sports’ Greg Olsen and Joe Davis discussed the New York Jets’ dominant win and Aaron Rodgers’ future as he begins his off-season.
Both Olsen and Davis agreed the historic win for Rodgers would be a great way for him to end his career and going out on a sort of high would be on his “own terms.”
“To put together a four-touchdown performance, have a smile on his face, run around, make plays off script, off rhythm – that’s been the magic of Aaron Rodgers for the last 20 years,” Olsen began.
“It’s so hard to believe that that version of Rodgers, that, that’s the end … if it is, more power to him. But, there’s football left in that arm and there’s football left in those feet,” Olsen concluded.
Greg Olsen & Joe Davis discuss Jets’ win and Aaron Rodgers’ future
Let’s talk
The Jets already have interviewed Mike Vrabel and Ron Rivera for their head coaching vacancy and plan to speak this week to Rex Ryan — who led New York to back-to-back AFC championship game appearances during the 2009 and 2010 seasons — and interim coach Jeff Ulbrich, who finished 3-9 after replacing Saleh.
That list is sure to grow in the next several days as New York puts in requests to chat with coaches on other teams. Same for the GM gig, for which the Jets have already spoken to Thomas Dimitroff, Jon Robinson, Jim Nagy and Louis Riddick.
Adams & A-Rod
One player whose Jets future is tied to Rodgers is wide receiver Davante Adams, acquired from Las Vegas in October.
Adams, good friends with Rodgers from their eight seasons together in Green Bay, said Monday that this season was a “whirlwind” for him, and he’s unsure what his next step will be. The 32-year-old is scheduled to make $35.64 million in each of the next two years.
The Jets could ask Adams to redo his deal, or he could be released in the next few months. But he acknowledged what Rodgers does will “for sure” be a factor in his own decision, saying he “potentially” could be back even if the quarterback isn’t.
Building blocks
New York has several young players who are expected to be key parts of the future, including cornerback Sauce Gardner, wide receiver Garrett Wilson, running back Breece Hall and edge rusher Jermaine Johnson — who are all eligible for extensions this offseason.
Gardner, an All-Pro his first two seasons, was solid but not as consistent this season. Same for Hall, whose production dipped from last season. Wilson joined Brandon Marshall as the only players in franchise history with at least 100 catches in a season but was frustrated at his use in key moments late in the season. Johnson, a Pro Bowl pick last season, is coming off a torn Achilles tendon that limited him to two games.
Next steps
Several players who played major snaps this season are potential free agents this offseason. That includes linebacker Jamien Sherwood, who led the Jets in tackles and was voted the team MVP after taking over for an injured C.J. Mosley. Tight end Tyler Conklin, cornerback D.J. Reed, right tackle Morgan Moses, edge rusher Haason Reddick, left tackle Tyron Smith, safety Chuck Clark and defensive lineman Solomon Thomas are all among those who could leave in free agency.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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