Aaron Rodgers figures his football resume speaks for itself.
So the New York Jets’ quarterback doesn’t feel the need to use the final stretch of this season to prove his value to the team and that he should be back next season. In fact, it’s a notion the four-time NFL MVP finds “ridiculous.”
“If they want me to stay, fantastic,” Rodgers said Wednesday. “If it takes these five games, maybe they don’t know what I bring to the table.
“But that being said I’d love to play really friggin’ well the last five games.”
Rodgers, who turned 41 on Monday, has struggled with his production and health while the Jets have limped to a 3-9 start.
He has dealt with leg injuries — a sprained ankle, a sore knee and a tweaked hamstring — for much of the season. But he came out of the bye-week break feeling the healthiest he had in weeks. Still, he was inconsistent in a 26-21 loss to Seattle and couldn’t lead New York on a winning drive on its final possession.
That had some speculating that the Jets could bench Rodgers in favor of Tyrod Taylor to perhaps spark the offense. Instead, interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said he was sticking with Rodgers as the starter as long as he’s healthy, and the quarterback said during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday his goal is to finish the season on the field — despite the team’s woeful record.
“That’s what you do when you’re a professional and the most important ability you can have is availability, which I wasn’t available last year,” Rodgers said Wednesday, referring to going down with a torn Achilles tendon four snaps into his Jets debut. “So I’d love to play the games and I love playing football. I’m hyper-competitive and I love to be out there with the guys.”
He refused to use the injuries as an excuse for his subpar performance this season, saying he feels good enough to play if he’s on the field. While Rodgers has thrown for 2,627 yards and 19 touchdowns with eight interceptions, his 6.3 yards-per-pass attempt is the lowest of his career as a starter.
Rodgers said a few weeks ago that he thought he’d like to play next year, but recently amended that to say he wasn’t sure. He said health would be a major factor — and if he did decide to play in 2025, the Jets would be his first choice.
There’s doubt as to whether the Jets will want him back as they rebuild with a new general manager and coach next season after the firings of Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh. Rodgers said some people have told him they hope he’ll return, but “not the people who are making those decisions.”
That drew some laughs, but Rodgers said there will certainly be conversations — eventually — to determine his next move.
“I just redid my house here in Jersey,” Rodgers said. “My goal was to play a few more years here, but we’ll see. I’d like to be healthy, I’d like to end on my feet and then I’d like to play well and I’d like to feel like I’m wanted back. If not, again, I will not be offended. I won’t be upset. I’ll be so thankful, either way whatever happens here.
“But I’ve got to be healthy mentally, physically, and then there’s got to be interest on both sides. And if that’s not the case, then I’ll look at other options. But first, I’ll think about whether I’d actually want to play or not, but it usually takes a good month to get away from it, which I’ll do the first month and then we’ll see what happens.”
During his appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Rodgers highlighted the Detroit Lions — who were 3-13-1 in Dan Campbell’s first year as coach in 2021 and are now tied with Kansas City for the best record in the NFL at 11-1 — as a team that benefited from patient and supportive ownership.
After practice Wednesday, Rodgers was asked about those comments and whether he thinks the Jets have been similarly supportive.
“Is that a rhetorical question?” he responded before explaining he was just citing an example. He added that he also saw support and a lack thereof at times during his 18 years in Green Bay.
When asked if he felt there was support from Jets ownership, Rodgers said: “I’d have to look. I don’t follow a lot of stuff. I’d have to ask you guys: Has there been a lot of public, supportive comments?”
A reporter responded by pointing out the Jets’ coach and GM firings.
“Yeah,” Rodgers said, “so there’s your answer.”
RAVENS SUSPEND WR
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Baltimore Ravens have suspended receiver Diontae Johnson for their next game, saying he refused to enter their recent matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Johnson did not play in Sunday’s loss to the Eagles even though receiver Rashod Bateman was dealing with knee soreness. Coach John Harbaugh said after the game that he wasn’t ready to comment on Johnson, and Harbaugh continued to hold off on commenting when he addressed reporters Monday.
On Wednesday, general manager Eric DeCosta released a statement: “We have made the difficult decision to suspend Diontae Johnson for our upcoming game against the New York Giants for conduct detrimental to the team. Diontae’s suspension stems from refusing to enter our game against the Philadelphia Eagles. We will have no further comments on this matter going forward.”
The Ravens are off this week before facing the Giants on Dec. 15. A message was left with Johnson’s agent seeking comment.
Baltimore acquired Johnson — in the final season of his contract — from the Carolina Panthers in an October trade, but the 28-year-old receiver has caught just one pass in four games for the Ravens.
LOCK WILL START AGAIN
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — With Tommy DeVito still dealing with a sore forearm, Drew Lock will make his second straight start at quarterback for the Giants when New York plays host to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
Coach Brian Daboll announced the decision on Wednesday, saying Lock showed some good things against Dallas in a loss on Thanksgiving and he will get all the snaps with the first team.
“I think the reps help a ton,” Lock said Wednesday. ”I’d say anybody in this position would say the same thing. Getting back out there, letting them hear your cadence, letting them hear you calling it in the huddle, rhythm and timing with the receivers, even rhythm and timing for me with my feet on certain plays, whatever we’ve got up this week, it helps tremendously.”
Lock was 21 of 32 for 178 yards and an interception that was returned for a touchdown against Dallas. “He ran for a career-high 57 yards, scoring on an 8-yard run and setting up Tyrone Tracy’s short TD run with a 28-yard scramble.
DeVito was hurt in his first start after replacing Daniel Jones for the game against Tampa Bay on Nov. 24. He missed the Dallas game and was limited at practice Wednesday. Daboll said it remains to be seen whether he can be the backup Sunday at MetLife Stadium, where the Giants (2-10) are winless in six home games.
If he can’t go, the recently signed Tim Boyle would be the backup against the Saints (4-8).
The Giants have had three different starters at quarterback in the past three games.
“It’s professional football,” said Lock, who started against Dallas without any practice because of the short turnaround before that game.
“You expect roller coasters here and there. But, just excited to be able to go out and play one more time and get to practice with these guys, let them feel my energy a little bit.”
LAWRENCE OUT FOR YEAR
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars shut down quarterback Trevor Lawrence for the rest of the season following his latest concussion.
With the Jaguars (2-10) eliminated from playoff contention, they placed Lawrence on injured reserve Wednesday. He would be eligible to return for the season finale at Indianapolis, but the belief is he won’t play again this season.
Jacksonville claimed receiver Josh Reynolds off waivers from Denver to fill Lawrence’s roster spot. The 29-year-old Reynolds has 12 catches for 183 yards and a touchdown this season.
Mac Jones is penciled in to start in place of Lawrence at Tennessee (3-9) on Sunday.
Lawrence was carted off the field after taking a violent shot to the facemask from Houston’s Azeez Al-Shaair, a late hit that caused a sideline-clearing brawl and a second scuffle a few minutes later.
The unsportsmanlike blow left Lawrence in the fencing position — a common response to a traumatic brain injury in which both fists clench — and he stayed on the ground for several minutes while a melee ensued nearby. Lawrence was quickly ruled out with a concussion.
It was the latest injury for Lawrence, who missed a game in 2023 because of a sprained right shoulder. He also missed significant practice time because of a sprained left knee in October, a sprained right ankle in early December and a concussion two weeks later.
Lawrence threw for 2,045 yards in 10 games this season, with 11 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. The Jaguars also signed John Wolford to the practice squad to give them a third QB option.
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