It sure sounds like New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers isn’t thinking about retiring after spending just a single season with his new club.
“When it starts to feel like a job and not a fun game, then it’s probably time to walk away,” Rodgers said about his career during an appearance on the “I Am Athlete” program with former NFL wide receiver Brandon Marshall, as shared by Paul Kasabian of Bleacher Report.
Rodgers spoke with Marshall shortly after the signal-caller’s trade from the Green Bay Packers became official and after the 39-year-old declined during his introductory Jets news conference to commit to playing beyond the 2023 season. However, Rodgers later told beat reporters that “this isn’t a one-and-done in my mind” and that the latest chapter of his career “is a commitment” to his new employer.
“But right now it’s still fun,” Rodgers continued during his chat with Marshall. “It’s still something that gets me up in the morning. It gets me excited about putting the time in, it gets me excited about the next chapter, this journey that we’re going to go on. So as long as it’s fun, I’m gonna keep playing.”
Jets owner Woody Johnson and general manager Joe Douglas are clearly hoping Rodgers continues to have “fun” through at least the 2024 campaign, in part so that 2021 second-overall draft pick Zach Wilson can sit and learn from the future Hall of Famer until further notice.
As for Rodgers, he has millions upon millions of reasons to embrace all the fun that he can through January 2025. ESPN’s Rich Cimini reported on Thursday that Rodgers’ contract restructure has left him set to earn roughly $107.55M in compensation for 2024.
Rodgers hinted in January that he could walk away from any cash attached to the rest of his contract because “money is energy, and I have made a ton of it.“
