Aaron Rodgers’ words for Aaron Glenn are a reminder: The Jets were right to move on

From the moment Aaron Glenn was appointed head coach, the writing seemed to be on the wall: the New York Jets were preparing for life without Aaron Rodgers. But if you ask Rodgers, he’s not quite ready to let go of the franchise just yet.

On Thursday afternoon, Rodgers appeared on The Pat McAfee Show, seated comfortably on what appeared to be a sunlit patio — likely his home in Malibu, California. With a pair of old-school wired headphones (his go-to choice for brain health, as he’s mentioned before), he sat down for a candid discussion. But just as the conversation turned to the Jets, his internet began acting up.

“Looks like someone’s trying to shut this part down,” Rodgers quipped, smirking.

That moment of levity set the tone for what became a deeply revealing and, at times, emotional recounting of his final chapter with the Jets. According to Rodgers, he paid for his own cross-country flight to New Jersey earlier this offseason, assuming he’d be having an honest, in-depth conversation with the Jets’ new regime — particularly head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey — about the team’s future and his role in it. What he encountered, instead, was a short meeting that quickly made it clear he wasn’t in their plans.

Rodgers had expected a collaborative conversation. He believed his experience and insights would be welcomed. “Why wouldn’t they want to pick my brain?” he asked rhetorically. But from his account, Glenn wasn’t interested in what he had to offer. Instead, the purpose of the meeting was to inform Rodgers that the Jets were moving on.

“I figured when I flew across the country on my dime, there would be a real discussion,” Rodgers explained. “I sit down with the coach, we start chatting, then suddenly he walks out. I thought that was odd. He comes back with the GM, and we sit down. Twenty seconds in, Glenn leans forward and asks, ‘Are you sure you want to play football?’ I said, ‘Yes, I’m interested.’ Then he replied, ‘Well, we’re going in a different direction at quarterback.’”

Rodgers admitted he was taken aback. He had believed his journey with the Jets wasn’t over. Instead, it ended in what he felt was an abrupt and dismissive way.

“I told them straight up — if you weren’t even going to have a real conversation with me, this could’ve been done over the phone,” Rodgers said, clearly frustrated.

From there, the meeting grew even more tense. Rodgers described how Glenn began discussing the narrative around Rodgers’ impending release. According to Rodgers, Glenn voiced concern about how it might look to the locker room if he were still around during team meetings. That struck a nerve.

“I said, ‘Wait, are you suggesting I would sit in the back of the room and undermine you? You don’t even know me.’ And he shot back, ‘Well, you don’t know me either.’ So I responded, ‘Exactly. That’s why I flew across the country — to speak face-to-face.’”

Rodgers went on to suggest that Glenn’s approach seemed a bit “rogue” and indicated a lack of professional courtesy. Still, in the grander context, Glenn’s decision to make a clean break from Rodgers is difficult to criticize. In fact, it may well have been the Jets’ first truly decisive, forward-looking move in years.

To understand how things reached this point, it’s worth revisiting how the relationship began.

Back in 2023, the Jets’ top brass made a high-profile trip to Malibu in a full-court press to convince Rodgers to join the team. They brought in Nathaniel Hackett as offensive coordinator — a close ally of Rodgers — and overpaid wide receiver Allen Lazard in free agency to make Rodgers feel more at home. Once Rodgers agreed to the trade, he even gave up some of his salary to help the team sign other players he liked: Randall Cobb, Dalvin Cook, Billy Turner, Tim Boyle, among others.

None of those additions panned out.

Behind the scenes, many around the league joked that general manager Joe Douglas was essentially Rodgers’ assistant. The quarterback was perceived to have an outsized influence over personnel decisions — a perception that seemed to be validated as the Jets catered to his preferences. It was Rodgers’ team, for better or worse.

Rodgers made grand promises. What he delivered was a spectacle.

Over the span of two years, Rodgers drew more attention for his controversial media appearances than anything he did on the football field. Injuries and poor team performance compounded the chaos. And in February, the Jets finally made a clean break — officially releasing him from the roster.

Rodgers, who had never been released before in his career, seemed hurt by the way it was handled. He repeatedly criticized the Jets for not having the courtesy to inform him over the phone — despite the fact that he himself often avoided direct communication, as Packers GM Brian Gutekunst could likely attest.

“I just didn’t feel respected in that meeting,” Rodgers told McAfee. “But maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised, considering everything I saw over the past couple of seasons.”

In truth, it’s a no-win situation. Had Glenn opted for a phone call instead, Rodgers might have publicly lamented not getting a face-to-face meeting. But Glenn chose transparency. He didn’t prolong the conversation or offer false hope. He made a difficult decision and delivered it directly.

And in today’s NFL — where players are often cut via Zoom or find out through Twitter — that counts for something.

The Jets, often maligned for their off-field dysfunction, actually handled this one with a degree of professionalism. Glenn looked Rodgers in the eye and told him the truth: he was no longer part of the plan.

It was swift. It was firm. And most importantly, it was necessary.

Rodgers had become a distraction. Week after week, his appearances on The Pat McAfee Show created headlines — many of them unwelcome. He aired grievances, promoted conspiracy theories, and routinely stirred controversy. Meanwhile, the Jets were trying to salvage a season and a locker room. And yet, Rodgers would later criticize the organization for being riddled with “non-football distractions.”

Since Glenn took over, he’s made it a priority to change that narrative. In just under three months, he’s established a new tone — less chaos, more control. Leaks from the front office have stopped. The media circus has been dialed down. And the roster? It’s been overhauled. Only four players over 30 remain, and three of them are special teams contributors. The only quarterback on the roster over 30 is Tyrod Taylor — and he’s the backup.

Rodgers didn’t fit the new identity Glenn is building. The Jets needed a hard reset, and that meant turning the page on a turbulent two years.

As for Rodgers, he now finds himself in a familiar position — exploring the possibility of joining another team, reportedly the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yet even now, just weeks from the NFL Draft, he hasn’t firmly committed to returning to play.

During the conversation with Glenn, when asked if he truly wanted to keep playing, Rodgers replied, “Yeah, I’m interested.” Not exactly a resounding endorsement.

With Justin Fields now under center, the Jets are building something different — and perhaps something better suited for long-term success. Fields has already demonstrated a measured, team-first mindset. He declined to throw his former team under the bus when given the chance and has shown no desire for media theatrics.

So now, the saga shifts to Pittsburgh. They’re in need of a quarterback, and Rodgers may be next on their radar. But the story feels familiar — and the outcome may be the same.

Rodgers might still have something left in the tank. But it’s clear the Jets no longer wanted to wait around to find out.