Aaron Rodgers gives surprise hints on HUGE NY Jets return for 2025 as decision hinges on 3 moments following Woody Johnson’s backing

Aaron Rodgers has confirmed his NFL retirement decision will not be reached until three things happen over the coming weeks.

Rodgers, 41, is still under contract with the New York Jets but has flirted with the idea of calling time on his glittering career this year.

The veteran quarterback has just completed a difficult campaign in New York, recording 12 losses to miss the postseason.

The Jets are set to rebuild their team this offseason, with a new general manager and head coach arriving.

Rodgers appeared on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ on Thursday to provide an update on his future and will not make a decision until a new GM and HC is in place.

Rodgers is also waiting until after the Super Bowl, meaning three things must happen before a decision is reached. “The season is not technically over,” said the four-time NFL MVP. “I always feel like the season is over once the Super Bowl is over and then everything resets, everybody is 0-0 again, and there’s a chance for everybody to reset.

“There’s obviously moving pieces in New York. There’s been a number of job interviews for GM and for head coach. There’s even more names being released everyday that the team is looking at. But I’ve had limited communication with them.”

Rodgers was then pressed on a recent meeting with team owner Woody Johnson. He said: “The meeting about Woody was more about, you know, the team’s future and different things. I think everybody understands that it’s going to come down to GM and coach and myself, and whether we all want to do a dance together or it’s not on the cards.”

Rodgers is one of the most successful quarterbacks in NFL history. The 10-time Pro Bowler spent 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers and inspired them to victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Super Bowl XLV, winning the game’s MVP award.

Rodgers made even more history in his most recent NFL game for the Jets, becoming just the fifth player to record 500 regular season passing touchdowns after Tom Brady (649), Drew Brees (571), Peyton Manning (539), and Brett Favre (508).

But apart from that, it’s been a tough going in New York for Rodgers. He joined the Jets ahead of the 2023 season but missed the rest of the campaign after suffering an Achilles tear in Week 1. Rodgers then failed to lead the team to a winning record this term

BREAKING: Chiefs HC Andy Reid Wins AFC Coach of the Year at Annual 101 Awards

At the prestigious 101 Awards for the 2024-25 NFL season, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was named AFC Coach of the Year.

After perhaps the greatest regular season in franchise history, it’s fitting that one of the Kansas City Chiefs’ top leaders is getting his due credit for navigating the 2024-25 campaign. This time, it’s head coach Andy Reid who’s bringing home some hardware as the postseason continues.

At the annual 101 Awards, Reid was named AFC Coach of the Year for his efforts this season.

The 101 Awards, started by the late football legend and Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt, are the longest active awards program that’s tied strictly to the NFL. Its existence spans several decades since Hunt and company launched it back in 1969, shedding light on standout performances from both conferences in the process.

Thanks to the Committee of 101, this year sees Reid get acknowledged in a context that hits close to home for his team. He’s accompanied by the following picks for this year:

AFC Offensive Player of the Year: Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

AFC Defensive Player of the Year: Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos

NFC Coach of the Year: Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota Vikings

NFC Offensive Player of the Year: Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles

NFC Defensive Player of the Year: Kerby Joseph, Detroit Lions

The official 101 Awards site further describes the role Hunt played in its origin and how the voting is tallied every year.

“In 1969, the final season of the AFL before its merger with the NFL, Lamar Hunt and Jack Wheeler led a group of Kansas City businessmen to create the 101 Awards,” the website says. “It was the first awards show of its kind, recognizing elite coaches in the AFL and NFL (and later the AFC and NFC) and commemorating some of the greatest players in football history. Today, the 101 Awards are uniquely positioned as a truly national award, including voter representation from every local market in the league. The voting structure includes 64 voters from local media markets (two voters who cover each of the NFL’s 32 teams) and 37 national media members. Together, they make up the Committee of 101.”

For the first time, winners of 101 Awards categories were announced on “Good Morning Football.” In a Wednesday morning appearance on the show, Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt praised Reid for the job he’s done.

“We’re so excited for Andy,” Hunt said. “I think there’s an argument to be made that he could really win the award every year. He’s had an absolutely amazing year. Fifteen regular-season wins, which is a franchise record. We’ve dealt with a lot of adversity throughout the year – he’s done an incredible job. We’re so lucky to have him in Kansas City, and I’m so happy that Andy is getting recognized in this way this morning.”

This year’s release from the 101 Awards also shed some light on what Reid has done not only since September, but throughout his career.

“In his 12th season at the helm of the Chiefs, Reid led his team to a franchise-best 15-2 record and clinched a 10th-straight trip to the NFL postseason as well as a ninth-consecutive AFC West title en route to the first seed in the AFC playoffs in 2024,” the release read. “Reid helped steer the Chiefs to a 9-0 start, matching a franchise record win streak to start a season (2003, 2013, 2024) which has only been done two other times in franchise history, including once by Reid (2013).

“With 26 years of NFL head coaching experience, Reid has a 273-146-1 regular season record and is the only head coach in NFL history to be the winningest coach of two different franchises (Chiefs and Eagles). This is Reid’s fourth time receiving this honor (2002 NFC, 2013 AFC, 2015 AFC and 2024 AFC), making him the winningest coach in the history of the 101 Awards.”

The wins keep coming for Reid, both on and off the field. In Saturday’s divisional round triumph over the Houston Texans, the future Hall of Fame head coach notched the 300th overall victory of his career. He’s just the fourth coach to ever do so, highlighting just how much he’s impacted the sport over the years.

Considering that, it’s no surprise to see Reid earn another honor here.

Ex-Lions QB Matthew Stafford Predicted to Land With New Team

Former Detroit Lions and current Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is once again at the center of trade chatter.

Former Detroit Lions and current Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford would be a hot commodity if he becomes the center of a trade deal during the offseason. It’s not easy to find a veteran quarterback who has won a Super Bowl and is still playing as well as Stafford has exhibited over the past season.

With that in mind, it’s no surprise that some NFL insiders think Stafford could leave the Rams for one last run in the NFL with a new team.

Analyst’s ‘First Call’ Would Be to Former Lions Quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Rams

Former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst and expert Dan Orlovsky has a few thoughts about Stafford and where he might go during the offseason.

Speaking on NFL Live, Orlovsky talked about Stafford being the “first” guy he would call when trying to fill the quarterback vacancy with the Las Vegas Raiders.

He also named the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers as ideal landing spots for Stafford.

“I think the first call I would make would be to Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams to figure out what Stafford’s plans are,” Orlovsky said on the Tuesday, January 28 edition of the show. “Is he going to play? Is he going to retire? Do they want him back?”

That’s when he added the Giants and Steelers into the mix with the Raiders, stating, “Honestly, if I were the Giants, if I were the Steelers, if I were a lot of teams that would be my number one call. Try to see kind of what the plan is for Matthew Stafford.”

The Steelers, of course, already have Russell Wilson and Justin Fields in the fold, so that seems less likely. Both the Giants and Raiders, however, are in need of a solid franchise quarterback, and Stafford could add the kind of veteran talent to their roster.

For the 2024-25 season, the former Detroit Lions quarterback tossed for 3,762 yards, 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Under his guidance, the Rams won the NFC West division title and Wild Card matchup over the Minnesota Vikings. They fell to the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round of the playoffs, though.

More Retirement Talk

Stafford was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2009 as the No. 1 overall pick out of Georgia. He was in Detroit for 12 years before being the center of a major trade package with the Los Angeles Rams that sent him to L.A. and brought Jared Goff to Detroit. Stafford won Super Bowl LVI against the Bengals during his inaugural season with the Rams.

Stafford turns 37 in February, and while that’s certainly retirement age for a quarterback in the NFL, Stafford hasn’t indicated that he’s ready to step off the field. Following the Rams’ loss to the Eagles, Stafford told reporters that he would “take some time to think about” the idea of retirement. He also told reporters, “I feel like I was playing some pretty good ball,” indicating that maybe he’s not quite ready to step down.

When asked by a reporter if he has football left in him, he replied, “Sure feels like it.”

Stafford signed an adjusted contract with the Rams last summer, and his cap hit is $49.66 million.

Lions lose another assistant coach to ex-coordinator

The Detroit Lions have emerged as one of the NFL’s top teams under head coach Dan Campbell’s guidance.

However, the Lions will face challenges in 2025 as the team works to rebuild its coaching staff after offensive coordinator Ben Johnson joined the Chicago Bears and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn was hired by the New York Jets.

As expected, these coordinators are bringing other coaches along to their new teams, and the Lions are losing tight ends coach Steve Heiden, who will follow Glenn to New York, as reported by NFL insider Tom Pelissero on X.

In addition, Detroit’s passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand is viewed as the leading candidate for the Jets’ OC position, according to Pelissero, though he hasn’t officially moved yet.

Heiden began his coaching career with the Arizona Cardinals in 2013 and spent 10 years with the organization before joining Detroit.

He served as the Lions’ tight ends coach for the past two seasons and will now become the Jets’ offensive line coach under Glenn.

The Lions have successfully replaced both coordinators, as Campbell appointed John Morton to take over for Ben Johnson as Detroit’s offensive coordinator, while Kelvin Sheppard was promoted to defensive coordinator.

Sheppard had been the Lions’ linebackers coach for the past three seasons. While there was initial speculation that he might join Glenn in New York, Sheppard is staying in Detroit.

Campbell considered several candidates for the defensive coordinator role, including Larry Foote, who has been the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ inside linebackers coach and pass game coordinator since 2022. Ultimately, the team opted to promote from within and give Sheppard the opportunity.

Meanwhile, the Jets have hired veteran coach Steve Wilks as their new defensive coordinator.

Wilks most recently served as the San Francisco 49ers’ DC in 2023, where he led the team to Super Bowl LVIII before being let go in the offseason. He brings three decades of coaching experience to New York.

Although the Lions are not overly concerned about their Super Bowl aspirations after losing several key staff members, it’s crucial they get their new coaching hires right.

However, given Campbell’s successful track record with coaching decisions, Lions fans can be confident the team will continue to remain competitive.

Jets on Verge of Creating Deadly Receiving Duo: 1,319-Yard Game-Breaker to Join Forces with Garrett Wilson

We’re at a point in the National Football League calendar in which there isn’t typically too much going on unless you are still in the playoffs.

The season will end on Sunday, Feb. 9 as the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs face off in the Super Bowl. The Chiefs have a chance at a historic three-peat and the Eagles have a chance at their second Super Bowl title in team history.

It should be a good game and unsurprisingly both of those franchises have been getting plenty of headlines recently. While this is the case, the New York Jets have been talked about plenty despite not making the playoffs.

New York has been hard at work and filled its open head coach and general manager positions. The Jets have been in plenty of headlines since with the vast majority having something to do with Aaron Rodgers.

With the NFL season coming to a close, mock drafts also have started to pop up in preparation for the April NFL Draft. New York has the No. 7 pick in the draft and should be able to add some high-end talent. The 33rd Team’s Kyle Crabbs released an updated mock draft on Monday and projected New York to select Arizona receiver Tetairoa McMillan.

“The Jets have secured their new direction — another defensive-minded coach is set to take the reins in Aaron Glenn,” Crabbs said. “Glenn saw firsthand what a physical mentality can bring to a franchise and with Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams’ future in flux, the Jets may be a team in offensive transition. A big, physical receiver like Tet McMillan could go a long way in helping to provide the Jets with a physical identity.”

If he’s on the board at No. 7, this would be a phenomenal pick. He racked up 1,319 receiving yards in 2024 in 12 games. In 2023, he had 1,402 receiving yards in 13 games. Over the last two seasons, he has tallied 18 touchdowns.

Adding him to a receiver room featuring Garrett Wilson could be the makings of one of the best young duos in football. If somehow Adams were to stick around too, the Jets arguably would have the best combination of receivers in football.