The New York Jets‘ (2-5) season is rapidly deteriorating after another loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers this week. Hopes of ending their playoff drought, which dates back to 2010, are fading. The Jets are the longest active franchise in major American sports (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL) without a playoff appearance. And the team’s veteran quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, appears to be nearing the end of his career, according to analyst Stephen A. Smith.
Is Aaron Rodgers done?
Analyst Stephen A. Smith discussed quarterback Aaron Rodgers following the New York Jets’ loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Smith, a longtime Rodgers fan, emphasized that the quarterback is clearly not the same player he once was, i mean that’s obvious he’s 40 and coming off a torn Achilles tendon. Given Rodgers’ age (40) and the team’s recent struggles, Smith believes the best course of action for Rodgers would be to retire. Watch the video to see how serious he is about this suggestion. Maybe Smith knows something we don’t.
In my opinion, Rodgers is unlikely to retire. He’ll probably wait at least another year until his contract with the Jets expires. Rodgers signed a 3-year, $112.5 million deal in 2023 that runs through next season. He has the talent around him to compete, with the addition of Davante Adams giving the team multiple offensive threats. However, the coaching and offensive line have been inconsistent, and the defense, which was supposed to be the team’s strength, has been dismantled by Russell Wilson and the Steelers, Wilson made his debut with the Steelers and had not played since 2023.
Upcoming Jets games
While the season looks tough with five losses and ten games remaining, the Jets still have a chance. They’ll need to be near perfect in November and December. Fortunately, their next game is against perhaps the worst team in the league, the New England Patriots, whom they beat 24-3 earlier this season. After that, they host the Houston Texans and then travel to Arizona. If they can win those three games, they’ll be back in the playoff hunt. But anything can happen in the NFL.