Aaron Rodgers dropped hints about why he is no longer with the New York Jets during an ambush interview in California.
Rodgers garnered seemingly limitless coverage about moving on from the Jets this off-season despite having another year left on his contract. At the beginning of February, following months of back-and-forth jabs in the media, the Jets officially announced they would be moving on from the Super Bowl winner after just two years. Rodgers played just one season due to an injured Achilles tendon.
Following a training session in Southern California, Rodgers was approached by a reporter who asked, “Do you see yourself potentially being in the West Coast in the future?”
After exchanging pleasantries, Rodgers realized who he was talking to and asked, “Oh, you’re a paparazzi?”
He then answered, “I’m enjoying the sunshine right now.”
The reporter quickly got to work to see if Rodgers was in California scouting out a potential new team.
“When choosing a team, what is something you take into consideration? Like, what factors?” the TMZ reporter asked.
“Factors? … If they want you,” Rodgers revealed. “[If] they got a good team,” he added as a second condition.
‘I’ve never been released by a teenager before …’
Rodgers was apparently given the runaround by the Jets organization, with hints that he wasn’t welcome on the team popping up all over sports media.
In mid-February, Athletic reporter Dianna Russini claimed that new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn even told Rodgers, “If you’re going to be part of this team, you’re going to attend all [of] training camp, [and] you’re not going to do Pat McAfee interviews any more.”
“The Pat McAfee Show” on ESPN is where Rodgers has made some of his most controversial statements, surrounding topics like COVID or regarding his public feud with late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.
Glenn also reportedly said no players would get any special treatment, but allegedly had planned to move on from Rodgers no matter what his response to the new guidelines was.
As well, Rodgers was accused of punching his own ticket out of New York at the end of 2024 when a former Jets coach claimed that Rodgers was purposely trying to get cut by the team. Former coach Eric Mangini characterized some of Rodgers’ comments as mocking Jets ownership when talking about the potential of being cut from the team.
“I’ve never been released by a teenager before, so being released would be a first,” Rodgers said.
The quarterback was referring to Brick Johnson, the Jets owner’s 18-year-old son who reportedly has had influence on team decisions.
Mangini said Rodgers was “legitimizing dysfunction in the organization” and making fun of the owner’s son and therefore looking to leave the team.
Rodgers admittedly said he recognized “the comedy in all of it,” with his relaxed attitude seemingly triggering the new Jets coaching staff.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Read the full article here
