With three games left in what has amounted to a lost season, the New York Jets—and quarterback Aaron Rodgers—have some thinking to do about the future. Will Rodgers, 41, want to play another season, and will his desire be to play for the Jets? And if so, would the Jets want him back?
To that end, another question was posed to Rodgers during his session with the media on Wednesday in the lead-up to Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams.
How would Rodgers feel if the Jets wanted him back, but had plans to select their next franchise quarterback in the 2025 NFL draft?
"If they ask me back and drafted a guy, I'd mentor the hell out of him if I was playing and I'd try to play as well as I could to keep him on the bench," Rodgers said with a smile.
Reports have swirled about Rodgers's future and whether he would like to play again in 2025. As recently as November, Rodgers, when asked that question directly, said, "I think so." Rodgers, who has fired six touchdown passes to just one interception in his last three games, has quietly been playing better as of late, but doesn't believe this recent stretch will impact his decision to continue his career in '25, or not.
"No, not really," Rodgers said. "I'm gonna take some time after the year—unless I get released right away—but I'll still take some time whether or not I want to play. But I'll take some time and get away from it either way."
Rodgers said the Jets, with whom he signed a three-year, $112.5 million contract in 2023, would be his first choice as a destination in '25, but, as he has said in the past, there are things that need to happen before he can make his decision.
"There's a lot of reasons why this would be a great opportunity," Rodgers said. "But I'm gonna see what happens. There's a lot of things yet to happen. They gotta hire a GM. Gotta hire a head coach. And then whether or not I'm part of conversation or whether or not they move on, whatever happens, I'll be taking my time and thinking about my future."
When asked if he would be willing to take a pay cut to remain with the Jets, Rodgers said he is "open to everything."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Aaron Rodgers Shares Thoughts on Jets Potentially Selecting QB in 2025 NFL Draft.
