The relationship between Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets appears to be deteriorating. The latest discussion on that front comes from some reporting Sunday morning from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, where (as part of a larger piece on that relationship), he cited a source saying that Rodgers has tried to avoid getting scans for injuries:
How banged up is Aaron Rodgers? It’s hard to say. Sources say he’s resisted getting scans done. From my story: https://t.co/XHOicpNIpX pic.twitter.com/CEQpGSZTFi
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 24, 2024
This is a fascinating report on several levels. For one, a player pushing back on getting scans done by his team is interesting. Trying to play through injury is one thing, but doing so with less information for both the player and the team is more unusual.
Beyond that, it’s remarkable that this information came to Rapoport. Presumably, the only people who would know if Rodgers has “resisted getting scans done” are the quarterback, anyone he’s told, and then team staffers. The latter seems like the more likely possibility here, with this report being somewhat unfavorable to Rodgers.
And that speaks to the wider issue of a potential divide between Rodgers and the team that could see them part ways before next season. That’s something Rapoport has more to say on in the rest of that article:
The two key figures in bringing Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets are now gone.
Head coach Robert Saleh was fired after Week 5 on Oct. 5, and general manager Joe Douglas was fired after Week 11 on Nov. 19.
With Jets owner Woody Johnson set to replace the team’s leadership, sources say there are now questions about whether Rodgers will be welcomed back to the team next season.
There has been no firm and final decision, but sources with knowledge of Johnson’s thinking say Rodgers must play far better down the stretch for the opportunity to return in 2025.
…With the need for a new head coach and GM — a process that really started this week with Douglas’ firing — Rodgers’ future will be a significant part of the discussions. If Johnson doesn’t want to bring him back, if it continues in that direction, don’t be surprised if the next GM and head coach Johnson picks follow suit.
One source went as far as to say it would be a “shock” if Rodgers is back.
This comes after quite the week of reporting on Rodgers and the Jets. Dianna Russini and Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic wrote this week that Johnson suggested benching Rodgers in favor of Tyrod Taylor in a Sept. 29 meeting with Douglas, Saleh, and other coaches. Rapoport wrote that his sources confirmed that news, but said that was because “Johnson just wanted to make a change to shake it up at the time.” Meanwhile, Saturday saw Russini write more on the relationship between Rodgers and Johnson, and how it may soon be coming to an end from one side or the other:
I’m told Johnson has lost confidence in Rodgers’ ability to lead the team to their first playoff berth in 14 years, a drought that stands as the longest in the major North American professional sports leagues. There are some on the team who believe everyone is simply tiptoeing around the fact that Rodgers isn’t the same player anymore.
I’m told no decisions have been made yet, but it appears increasingly likely that the four-time MVP, who is banged up, could be placed on injured reserve or possibly benched over the next few weeks, signaling the end of his disastrous time with the Jets. Some around the league say they won’t be surprised if Rodgers is cut in-season.
As for Rodgers, his relationship with the owner has been strained for months — that’s not a secret in the building or the locker room. At this point, after conversations with sources with the team and around the league, my understanding is that Rodgers still wants to play in 2025, just not for the New York Jets.
Rodgers has already had plenty of criticisms for the media, including blaming media for the team’s struggles this season, so it will be interesting to see how he responds to these latest reports. But it’s notable to see detailed reports from national figures on some of the specifics of what looks to be an increasingly-strained relationship between Rodgers and the Jets. And it’s also interesting to see Rapoport and the league-owned NFL Network playing a key role here, especially after a March report from NFLN’s Colleen Wolfe on a Johnson-Saleh clash sparked blowback and even a walkback.
It’s also significant that Rodgers has ranted about “leaks” to Russini in particular in the past. And Jets’ officials have sometime tried to crack down on leaks to media, including reportedly even with Saleh threatening to take coaches’ phones at one point. But, at the moment, a lot of information on the Rodgers-Jets relationship seems to be making it to the national media. And with the light these reports place Rodgers in, it seems unlikely they’re mostly coming from sources in his camp.
[NFL.com]
