The Jets flight has ended for Aaron Rodgers. He had two years as their main pilot but failed miserably. While the Achilles injury forced him to watch the 2023 season from the sidelines, 2024 was more of a performance failure. A 5-12 win-loss record was much below the expectations the Jets had. So, they just announced their move. Showing the exit door to the veteran. However, the 41-year-old still wants to play. His tenacity is perplexing.

Super Bowl winner and former Patriots CB, Jason McCourty, appeared on the February 14 episode of the Rich Eisen Show. He had a clear message to A-rod: “I honestly think it’s retirement and a lot of it has to do if you’re Aaron Rodgers. What are you still playing for?” Weighing on why Rodgers is still willing to play, McCourty said, “It would have to only be an opportunity to go out there and compete and win a Super Bowl. And I don’t know that there’s a team out there right now that you could say it makes sense that they go out and get Aaron Rogers and now they’re that much closer to winning a Super Bowl.” That makes sense.

Out of all the 31 NFL franchises, the Steelers were touted as the favorites to win. But the HC Mike Tomlin has stalled the Aaron Rodgers move. They have been through the experience of playing with a veteran in the 2024 season. And he prefers young Justin Fields over the 36-year-old Russell Wilson. So A-rod coming to the Black and the Gold seems far-fetched.

If we look at Super Bowl contenders in AFC, the Bengals, Ravens, Bills, and Chiefs, have their primary QBs, who have done great. So, it is hard to believe that they would get a 41-year-old injury-ridden QB to strengthen their locker room. Not to forget, Aaron Rodgers is a very vocal leader.

We saw how the situation went negative at the Jets during his feud with Robert Saleh. The signal caller even aimed at the owner, Woody Johnson, claiming the public disliked him. So, the ex-NFLer, McCourty, showed another path. The path of cementing his legacy as a great. Hall of Fame!

While talking about the future, he said, “I don’t know, at this point for him in his career, do you say, you know what, I want to go ahead and put it out on the line and go through everything you go through as a professional football player, to continue to play when he’s going to be a first ballot Hall of Famer.” Will Aaron Rodgers take this path? Seems hard.

In fact, he is more fixated on following the path of the GOAT, Tom Brady. But it comes with its own set of challenges.

Will Aaron Rodgers pull a Tom Brady move?

After the former NFL player, even the host Rich Eisen came up with an analysis of the situation. He reminisced about the time when Brady left the Patriots and became the Buccaneers QB. He remarked,  “Brady becomes the new Bucs quarterback. And the honest answer was, he is a bridge quarterback. But how long do you expect him to play as we know, it was another five years. But still then, that’s what you got to wonder with Rodgers. Anybody that takes him, the minute he takes a snap for you, you got to figure out who’s next. Whoever gets him is going to only get him for a year or two.” That’s a fair warning for the 31 other franchises.

The age, injuries, and even the performance have left a big question mark on Aaron Rodgers’ abilities as a QB. He was wonderful with the Packers. But now that he is old, can he pull off the Tom Brady move? Seems hard.

Also, the results haven’t been in his favor. After winning 6 Super Bowls in 19 years for the Pats, he won a Super Bowl for the Bucs in his first year. The next year, in 2021, he took them to the Super Bowl and retired following the 2022 season when he failed. At the Jets, A-rod missed his first season and failed in his second year.

Also, the risk of keeping another QB, always ready to go, is a huge one. Teams will need to shell out more on the signal callers. However, there is time left for a free agency that opens on March 12. Will Rodgers announce his decision? Fans are eagerly waiting.