Alright, you are NOT going to believe this one. Turns out, the real reason Aaron Rodgers split from the New York Jets after the 2024 season had nothing to do with those public jabs at owner Woody Johnson. And get this, it wasn’t even because Rodgers wasn’t interested in a comeback! Nope, the decision to ditch Rodgers came down to something way more wild: candidate feedback during their hunt for a new coach and general manager. Seriously, you can’t make this stuff up.
Jets’ New Leadership Had Other Plans For Their QB
This whole thing feels like a betrayal, right? The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt dropped the bomb on Tuesday, revealing that last offseason, Rodgers “made it clear to members of the Jets’ front office that he wanted to return, according to multiple team sources.” Let that sink in. Rodgers was ready to run it back in 2025. This wasn’t some backroom whisper, he *told* them he wanted to stay. The Jets were in full-blown panic mode at the time, searching for new blood after firing coach Robert Saleh in October 2024 and general manager Joe Douglas the next month. Owner Woody Johnson, to his credit, was apparently open to keeping Rodgers, but only “if that’s what his new coach and general manager wanted.” And that, my friends, is where it all went sideways.
Every New Candidate Shot Down An A-Rodg Reunion
Here’s the kicker, the part that probably stung the most: the search committee flat out asked every single candidate if they’d want Rodgers back. Rosenblatt reported, “They all said no.” Can you even imagine? Every. Single. One. That’s gotta be a punch to the gut. The Jets then hired general manager Darren Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn, and they released Rodgers shortly after. Rodgers himself confirmed it in an April 2025 chat on ESPN’s Pat McAfee Show, saying he got the news he was being cut pretty much right into his first in-person meeting with Mougey and Glenn. Talk about a brutal welcome!
Ultimately, Rodgers landed with the Steelers, signing a one-year deal in July 2025. He even re-signed with Pittsburgh this summer to reunite with his old Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy. He’s called this his “final NFL season,” so you know he’s playing with a chip on his shoulder. It’s a wild twist, knowing he wanted to stay with the Jets but was essentially blackballed by their future leadership. Now, the question is, can he make that “final season” a memorable one in Pittsburgh?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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