An Open Letter to Aaron Rodgers

43

Tom Brady’s age at the start of the Buccaneers’ 2020 championship season. You just turned 41 in December. You’re a young man.

2

The number of years it takes to truly recover from an Achilles injury. The doctors might say you’re OK. But as I outlined in October, psychologically players need two years to feel confident in the injured leg.

Look how much better you played as the season progressed. In your last 10 starts, you threw 18 TDs and just 4 INTs – compared to 10 TDs and 7 INTs in the first seven games. You compiled a 98.4 passer rating through your last five games. Last Sunday’s four-TD performance against Miami wasn’t just a Week 18 aberration. That’s who you can be in 2025.

20

That’s about how many points the passer rating improves for a Jets quarterback when he leaves New York. Before and after numbers:

Brett Favre
2007 Jets: 3,472 yards, 22 TDs, 22 INTs, 81.0 rating
2008 Vikings: 4,202 yards, 33 TDs, 7 INTs, 107.2 rating

Geno Smith
2014 Jets: 2,525 yards, 13 TDs, 13 INTs, 77.5 rating
2022 Seahawks: 4,282, 30 TDs, 13 INTs, 100.9 rating

Sam Darnold
2019 Jets: 3,024 yards, 19 TDs, 13 INTs, 84. 3 rating
|2024 Vikings: 4,319 yards, 35 TDs, 12 INTs, 102.5 rating

Zach Wilson doesn’t make the list yet, but he was balling for the Broncos in the preseason. Meanwhile, you are the all-time leader in passer rating (102.6). You can easily improve on last season’s 90.5 rating.

1.21 million

How much money Russell Wilson took to play in Pittsburgh this season. If the Jets release you, you can come in for cheap like Wilson and save cap space for your new team to build around you. What difference does the money make? You’ve earned $380 million in your career. You have unlimited earning potential as a television broadcaster or podcaster. The chance to win again is priceless.

17

If the Jets move on from you, they’ll likely part ways with Davante Adams as well. He’s coming with you. New York’s offense instantly improved in games when you threw out the playbook and targeted No. 17 all game long.

4

Call your old buddy No. 4. Brett Favre will tell you that there’s life after the Jets. The career parallels are eerie. You can do the same thing Favre did ... have one more MVP-caliber season in the right situation.

6

The number of teams that would be wise to make you an offer the day you become a free agent:

1. Steelers: If Pittsburgh loses in the first round again, fans will demand some kind of change. The Steelers have been too conservative since Ben Roethlisberger retired. Time to shake it up and bring back some swagger to the offense.

2. Seahawks: Their offense is in flux as they figure out the quarterback and offensive coordinator spots. Throwing to DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a nice way to ease into retirement.

3. Giants: You keep saying you love being in New York. Here’s your chance to avoid moving and show the Jets what they’re missing if they let you go. Head coach Brian Daboll can do some damage with a quality quarterback.

4. Raiders: The talent isn’t great, but they do have the best young tight end in the game, Brock Bowers. And Adams probably kept his Nevada house and would be happy to join you. Playing indoors did wonders for Favre at the end and would be an instant upgrade from the conditions at the Meadowlands.

5. Browns: Remember when Joe Flacco resuscitated his career in Cleveland? You fit coach Kevin Stefanski’s system and would have some intriguing targets with David Njoku and Jerry Jeudy.

6. Colts: Head coach Shane Steichen almost reached the playoffs two years in a row with a combo of Anthony Richardson, Gardner Minshew and Flacco. He’s a good play-caller who hasn’t had the right QB. They also have an underappreciated set of receivers in Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce and Josh Downs.

2

The number of darkhorse teams that should at least a consider a radical move: San Francisco and Minnesota. Niners quarterback Brock Purdy took a step back this season. If contract negotiations with Purdy go poorly, coach Kyle Shanahan has flirted with you in the past. You would feast in that system with those weapons.

As for the Vikings, if they lose Darnold in free agency, would they consider letting J.J. McCarthy sit one more year and learn the game? A longshot, but the symmetry with Favre’s Jets-to-Minnesota is intriguing. Wouldn’t suck throwing to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison with KOC calling plays.

Aaron, I’m not sure this letter will reach you. Think of me as a hand reaching out in the darkness retreat and gently pulling you back to where you belong – slinging touchdowns in the NFL. Just don’t ask me to try Ayahuasca. Too much shirtless dancing for my liking.

Be well,
Andrew