Getty New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers getting warmed up during practice.
If you haven’t enjoyed the Aaron Rodgers–New York Jets experience so far this offseason, you might want to find something else to occupy your time in the near future.
Head coach Robert Saleh was asked about whether A-Rod had made a multi-year commitment to the team when they acquired him in a trade with the Green Bay Packers.
“I don’t think he needs to. I don’t even want to back him into a corner and make him commit to something like that,” Saleh explained during his Friday, July 21 media availability. “I just want him to have fun and know that when he walks into this building let loose and have a little bit of fun. BS with the guys, come in the office and come talk to us, and just enjoy playing football. Odds are if you enjoy playing football you’re going to want to keep doing it. But I wouldn’t put pressure on him to commit to something like that anyway.
I’d be shocked if he doesn’t play multiple years, I mean he looks like a little kid out there.”
WOAH MAMA: #Jets HC Robert Saleh just said ‘I’d be shocked’ if Aaron Rodgers (@AaronRodgers12) doesn’t play multiple years 👀 🎥 @nyjets #TakeFlight #JetsCamp
Rodgers Shares the Same Long Haul Jets Sentiment
“I’d be shocked” if Rodgers doesn’t play more than one season were the words that came out of Saleh’s mouth.
Rodgers himself echoed some similar sentiments during a radio interview on Friday, July 21 that he plans on being here beyond 2023.
“Ya know the Jets gave up a lot for me, so to just play one year I think would be a disservice,” Rodgers said on “Dipietro & Rothenberg” on ESPN Radio. “Now if that one year turns out to be a magical year who knows?”
Rodgers would later add that over the last couple of months, his body has been feeling really good, “now talk to me in 3-4 months, we’ll see how it feels, but the way I feel now I think I could play a number of years.”
OH MY GOODNESS: #Jets QB Aaron Rodgers said the Jets gave up a lot for me “so to just play one year I think would be a disservice” 👀”the way I feel now I think I could play a number of years”
Officially Rodgers hasn’t committed to playing more than one season, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.
However, there are plenty of signs that he plans to.
During his media availability on Thursday, July 20 he talked about the winning window for the Jets extending beyond a singular season:
“When you have so many great players on rookie deals, it’s pretty exciting, knowing you can do something,” Rodgers said Thursday via ESPN. “You’ve got a good window. It’s not just a one-year thing where you can be competitive, which is fun.”
New Rodgers-Jets Rumors Changes Perception of Initial Packers Trade
Rodgers is right, the Jets gave up a lot of assets to acquire his services.
Green Bay Packers received: 2023 first-round pick (No. 13 overall), 2023 second-round pick (No. 42 overall), 2023 sixth-rounder (No. 207 overall), and a conditional 2024 second-round pick
New York Jets received: 2023 first-round pick (No. 15 overall), 2023 fifth-rounder (No. 170 overall), and Aaron Rodgers
However, that haul is a little bit more palatable if Rodgers is playing for your franchise for more than one season.
The Jets are all in on this season and are all in on Rodgers. Zach Wilson hasn’t proven worthy of the No. 2 overall pick draft status nor has he proven that he can be the guy.
If Rodgers disappeared after this 2023 season, the Jets wouldn’t have any clear answers on the roster at quarterback and because of the conditions of the 2024 pick they might not have a first-rounder either.
That could put the team in a very bad position. Unless of course, they have one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game coming back for an encore.
It sounds like the only way that wouldn’t happen is if a catastrophic injury occurred or Rodgers won the Super Bowl in his first year with the Jets. Outside of those two scenarios, it sounds like at a minimum Rodgers will be back for an encore in 2024.