Since Tuesday was Christmas Eve, Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers made his weekly visit to Pat McAfee and company a day earlier than usual. And Rodgers spontaneously made a comment about his future with the Jets.
Via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, Rodgers mentioned the possibility of being released by the Jets at the end of the season.
“Being released would be the first time; being released by a teenager, that would also be the first“Rodgers said. “So, hey, I’m open to everything and I find the comedy in it all. “If that happens, hey, it’s a great story.”
Rodgers was referring to last week’s report that owner Woody Johnson’s teenage sons, Brick and Jack, have influence over personnel moves.
The Jets weren’t able to make the move until the week after the Super Bowl. By then, they will presumably have a new general manager and a new head coach.
Rodgers has repeatedly said the Jets are his first choice for 2025. He has also made it clear that he will make the decision to play next year once the Jets decide they want him.
It’s a clever way to force the Jets to make the first move. If they want, they can still change their mind, blaming their eventual beliefs about the adaptation, or lack of adaptation, to the new regime. If they don’t want you, you can present yourself as the victim and you can use that as additional motivation to find a new home by 2025.
He’s been playing well enough lately to potentially attract interest from another team. And he’s bothering the Jets enough to create the impression that he hopes they don’t want him. If the Jets get the message and act on it, then they can use the year 2025 to, among other things, prove them wrong.
Along the way, you can dust off (if necessary) some of your biggest hits, such as stating that does not have cell service or whatever when the Jets try to contact him to see if he really wants to play for them again.