Will Aaron Rodgers Retire? Will Jets Keep Him? Will He Join Another Team?

Will Aaron Rodgers retire? Will the former Cal star remain with the Jets? Will he be the Jets’ starter next season? Will Rodgers be released by the Jets and join another team?

There’s plenty of speculation about Rodgers’ future with reports that Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn might be named the Jets next head coach.

Rodgers has not made any decision and won't for a while, at least until a new head coach and general manager are hired. Rodgers is 41 years old and the Jets went 5-12 this season while Rodgers threw 28 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions with a passer rating of 90.5, his lowest in his 16 seasons as an NFL starter (not counting 2023).

Some reports suggest he’ll retire.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler gave his opinion with the help of an AFC executive who believes Rodgers will have no choice but to retire.

The New York Jets will soon hire a general manager who can make a splash with his first big decision: releasing Rodgers and starting fresh at the game's most important position. That leaves a 41-year-old, recently injured quarterback without a home.

To be sure, some from last season's Jets staff believe Rodgers has something left and might just be eager to prove it. And he played relatively well over his final five games with 1,270 yards and nine touchdowns to three interceptions.

"But I'm just trying to think of a logical place for him to play and I can't think of one," an AFC executive said. "I'm guessing he doesn't want to go to a rebuild. And if you're a contender, I'm not sure they want to take on Aaron Rodgers and all that comes with that. So, he might just come to the conclusion that he's done."

Ralph Vacchiano, an NFL reporter for FOX, agrees that Rodgers will likely retire, and the Jets will replace him with Mac Jones and draft Jaxson Dart:

That said, it seems pretty clear that owner Woody Johnson — who tried to have him benched early in the season — is done with Rodgers, his controversies and his demands. And it's hard to see a new GM and coach want to bring Rodgers back and then let him pick his offensive coaches and some of his teammates like he was allowed to do in the past. The best move for the future of the franchise is to have a clean break and let Rodgers go back into the darkness.

But former Lions and Giants offensive lineman Lomas Brown, who does commentating for Lions radio broadcasts, should know Glenn, and says Glenn would make Rodgers his quarterback:

ICYMI on @880ESPNNewYork: Lomas Brown told @BartScott57 & @ChrisCarlin if Aaron Glenn get NYJ HC job, he will bring Aaron Rodgers back. pic.twitter.com/q88ImcDtcp
— Bart & Carlin (@BartAndCarlin) January 21, 2025

New York Yankees announcer Michael Kay said on his radio show that if Glenn is hired, he will want to make Rodgers his quarterback.

Michael Kay on his radio show yesterday said “there’s word out there, leaks I’ve heard, that whatever [the Jets] pay Aaron Glenn, he’s made it known that he would like to keep Aaron Rodgers” 👀 pic.twitter.com/wHrdLyDQw0
— roseanne 🥀 (@HoodieFrazier) January 22, 2025

“For the Jets, the one thing you don’t have to worry about is the head coach’s salary,” said Kay. “That doesn’t go past anybody’s salary cap or anything like that. And there is word out there, there’s been leaks I’ve heard that whatever they pay Aaron Glenn, he’s made it known that he would like to keep Aaron Rodgers.”

Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton says the Steelers might be interested in signing Rodgers if he is let go by the Jets.

Rodgers and [Davante] Adams would fare better on a team that has structure. Together, they could help the Steelers field their best offense in years.

With $52.3 million in cap space, the Steelers may be able to bring in Rodgers and Adams for a short-term boost.

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