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Aaron Rodgers was famously not thrilled with the Green Bay Packers for drafting quarterback Jordan Love in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. In fact, in his newly released Netflix documentary, Rodgers said the first thing he did when he heard the news was pour himself a glass of tequila.
The controversial New York Jets quarterback is a bit older these days, however, so he sounds as though he’d be a bit more open to mentoring a rookie QB.
That is, of course, if he decides he wants to play next season and if the Jets decide they want him back at all after two lost seasons that’s set the franchise back years, as its now searching for a new general manager and head coach.
“A lot of the play is about performance. Whether we got a guy behind us itching to play or not. When they drafted Jordan [Love], I felt like I was one bad stretch away from being benched and I won MVP a couple of years,” Rodgers told reporters on Wednesday, December 18.
“You gotta prove it every single week through stretches. If they asked me back and they drafted a guy, I would mentor the hell out of him if I was playing. And I would try to play as well as I could to keep him on the bench.”
#Jets QB Aaron Rodgers was asked how he would feel about the team drafting a rookie in 2025 if they wanted to keep him past this season.
“A lot of the play is about performance. I think all of us whether we got a guy behind us itching to play or not — when they drafted Jordan…
— Antwan V. Staley (@antwanstaley) December 18, 2024
In their final three games of the season, Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets will face off against the Los Angeles Rams, the Buffalo Bills, and the Miami Dolphins. 2024 will mark the 14th straight season that Gang Green has failed to qualify for the playoffs, which is the longest postseason drought in all of the four major American professional sports leagues.
As for Rodgers’ plans for next year, the 41-year-old four-time MVP is under contract with the Jets through next season (an is set to make $37.5 million), although nothing is guaranteed on either his end or the Jets’.
“I’m gonna take some time after the year, unless I get released right away,” Rodgers said. “But I’ll still take some time, whether or not I wanna play. But I’ll take some time, get away from it, either way.”
Through 14 games this season, has completed 62.5% of his passes for 3,255 yards, 23 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, which, despite it all, is one of the best statistical seasons a New York Jets quarterback has ever had.