Did the New York Jets ask Aaron Rodgers to stop his weekly appearances on Pat McAfee’s ESPN show as a condition of the quarterback’s return next season?
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini is reporting that the team made that exact request to Rodgers while discussing his potential future in Florham Park, New Jersey.
In response to this report, a team source has informed DailyMail.com this is false.
Rodgers’ agent did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com’s request for comment, nor did a spokesperson for McAfee’s production company.
In addition to abandoning McAfee, Russini said the team also spoke to Rodgers about the importance of participating in the Jets’ off-season training program. Last spring, the quarterback famously missed mandatory minicamp because he was on a trip to Egypt.
‘I was told that when they had conversations with Aaron Rodgers about what the future would look like, if you’re going to be part of this team you’re going to attend all of training camp,’ Russini said on her Scoop City podcast.
Did the New York Jets ask Aaron Rodgers to stop his weekly appearances on Pat McAfee’s ESPN show as a condition of the quarterback’s return next season? One source says ‘no’
Pat McAfee has reportedly paid Rodgers north of $1 million annually to do his weekly spots
‘You’re not going to do Pat McAfee interviews anymore… They had a conversation with him of, ”If you were to stay here, here is how we would want it to be.” So this to me is Aaron Glenn getting control back.’
Andrew Marchand reported for the New York Post in 2023 that McAfee’s production company, which leases the show to ESPN, paid Rodgers more than $1 million annually for his weekly in-season interviews.
Rodgers’ future with the Jets remains clouded for the time being.
Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reported on Sunday that the team had all but moved on from the Super Bowl-winning quarterback. And Schultz wasn’t the only one to report on Rodgers’ imminent departure. Fox’s Jay Glazer later added that Rodgers flew back to New Jersey last week to meet with the team, only to be told they plan to move forward without him.
Jets spokespeople have not responded to DailyMail.com’s repeated inquiries about Rodgers’ future.
If the Jets do decide to release Rodgers, he would still count for $49 million in dead cap space, severely limiting new Jets general manager Darren Mougey’s spending power in free agency.
The New York Jets introduce new head coach Aaron Glenn during a press conference
Meanwhile, Davante Adams is likely following Rodgers out the door. The All-Pro receiver is expected to part ways with the New York Jets , according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport , who added that Adams would like to be on the West Coast.
Although Adams is under contract for $38 million next season, the Jets can reduce his cap figure to just $8 million by releasing him.
Adams became a star in Green Bay alongside Rodgers and reunited with his former quarterback during the 2024 season after being traded by the Las Vegas Raiders.
Unfortunately for Adams, Rodgers and the Jets, the duo didn’t quite recapture their former glory from Green Bay, although the receiver did make 67 catches for 854 yards and seven touchdowns in just 11 games for the Jets.
Rodgers had previously teased the possibility of retiring or playing elsewhere. Last month, new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn insisted Rodgers is ‘under the microscope’ – just like every other player.
‘Aaron Rodgers will be talked about. We have texted our communication with Aaron Rodgers and [decisions will be made] as we continue to look at the roster,’ he said.
‘We’re going sit and talk and build the whole roster… we’re looking forward to that process. I can’t tell you how long that process will take… [but] we’re going to get the right answer.’
Later, Glenn insisted his job was bigger than one player or one position: ‘We have already text Aaron and me and [general manager Darren Mougey] are gonna sit there, and watch every game tape there is, and then we’re gonna look the whole roster.
‘This thing is not about Aaron Rodgers, folks, this is about the roster. We plan on building the best roster that we can… listen, everybody’s under the microscope. That’s just what it is. So we’re gonna do the best we can to make sure we build a better best roster.’
Davante Adams is likely following long-time friend and teammate Aaron Rodgers out the door
Rodgers’ relationship with Woody Johnson came under intense scrutiny last season but the Jets owner insisted he would not have a say in the quarterback’s future.
‘I’m going to leave that to them, they have to take a look at how the team is composed and what they think they need and put all that together.’
When pressed on whether he would welcome Rodgers back, should Glenn and Mougey want to keep him, the owner said: ‘Absolutely. If they want Aaron back, Aaron’s a talent for sure, a Hall of Famer.’
The legendary quarterback made history in the season finale when he threw his 500th career touchdown in the Jets’ win over the Dolphins.
‘I’m gonna get home and relax,’ he told Fox Sports in an interview on the MetLife Stadium turf immediately after the game, adding: ‘But I’m not going to hold anyone up.
‘I’ll have conversations tomorrow with the Jets to see what they’re thinking, and then we will make a decision before it gets too late in the offseason.’
Later, in his post-game press conference, Rodgers admitted he doesn’t know if anything ‘definitive’ will come from those initial talks with the Jets.
Rodgers is slated to make a non-guaranteed $37.5million in 2025 with a dead cap hit of $49m as his salary cap total goes from $17.1m to $23.5m.
The Jets could spread the dead money over two years by releasing Rodgers with the use of post-June 1 designation. He has a no-trade clause in his contract so they would need his permission to make a deal.
The San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings and Las Vegas Raiders have all been reported as possible destinations for Rodgers next season.
Rodgers joined the Jets in a widely celebrated move before the 2023 season, only to suffer a season-ending Achilles injury on the team’s opening drive that year.
Over 18 games, the Jets are just 6-12 when Rodgers has started as he’s thrown 28 touchdowns compared to 11 interceptions.
