Aaron Rodgers can’t celebrate Steelers success without taking shot at the Jets

Aaron Rodgers is preparing for his first playoff game since the 2021 NFL season, but he still can’t get the 3-14 New York Jets off his mind.

Rodgers spoke to reporters this week ahead of leading the Pittsburgh Steelers into their Wild Card weekend matchup with the Houston Texans. And while reflecting on his first regular season with Pittsburgh, he couldn’t help but take a not-so-subtle shot at the Jets.

Aaron Rodgers says one of the things he’s loved about being with the #Steelers is that “there are no leaks in the boat,” hinting at differences from his Jets tenure.

(🎥 @steelers) pic.twitter.com/Cz38Po8krN

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 9, 2026

“One thing I really love, and it’s kind of the antithesis of where I was, there’s not really any leaks in the boat,” Rodgers told reporters. “Every year, you have difficulties and adversity, both on the field and off the field, and to go through a season like this and to be able to focus on football and not have a lot of other little bullsh*t out there has been really nice.”

The Jets are coming off a 3-14 season, they have no quarterback, and a big question mark at head coach after a less-than-stellar rookie campaign by Aaron Glenn. There is no reason for them to be garnering any attention from ESPN or any playoff quarterback as we get set for Wild Card weekend. Yet this week, Stephen A. Smith went to battle with the Jets on First Take, and Rodgers is wasting time taking shots at his former team instead of looking at what’s in front of him this weekend.

Rodgers already won the divorce. He left the Jets unceremoniously after two seasons and found a franchise that would take him back to the playoffs. But just as he can boast about a season without “leaks,” so can the Jets. Without Rodgers under center, the Jets were worse on the field, but they were better off it.

What Rodgers fails to acknowledge in his not-so-subtle criticism of the Jets is his role in the leaks and drama that swarmed the franchise over the course of the last two seasons. Is the drama lessened around Rodgers because he’s with a more buttoned-up organization in the Steelers? Or has the drama lessened around Rodgers because he’s not starting fires on The Pat McAfee Show every week?

Rodgers with McAfee was great for football fans and content creators who love to watch NFL drama unfold regularly. But it was bad for the locker room. Rodgers’ lingering concern about the Jets as he prepares for a playoff game with the Steelers only underscores his role as a lightning rod for drama.