Report: Jets told Aaron Rodgers to stop 'Pat McAfee Show' appearances if he wanted to return in 2025

Aaron Rodgers’ future with the New York Jets was partly dependent upon his involvement with The Pat McAfee Show, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.

According to Russini’s reporting, Rodgers could not do McAfee’s show in his weekly spot like the last few seasons if he wanted to return to New York. The Jets hired Detroit Lions DC Aaron Glenn as the new head coach, so this seems to be a new way of doing things inside the building.

As a way to eliminate distractions or dysfunction, Rodgers could not have the spotlight on McAfee’s program.

“I was told that when they had conversations with Aaron Rodgers about what the future would look like, if you’re going to be part of this team you’re going to attend all of the training camp,” Russini said on her Scoop City podcast. “You’re not going to do Pat McAfee interviews anymore. So they were really trying to change the way …

“They had a conversation with him of, ‘If you were to stay here, here is how we would want it to be.’ So this to me is Aaron Glenn getting control back. 

This comes on the heels of the Jets reportedly telling Rodgers that they are moving on from him at QB and will go in a different direction in 2025.

But if Rodgers intends to keep playing, which hasn’t been decided yet, it appears the future Hall of Famer was ready for a change as well, per Russini.

“I think that, no matter what the Jets were going to say, Aaron Rodgers wanted to move on,” Russini said. “I think he was smart to talk to the Jets and say, ‘Where do we stand, how does this work?’ And maybe if they were on the side of convincing him more, this could have changed, but this wasn’t the way it was when they traded for him, when it was exciting.”

The Green Bay Packers traded Rodgers to the Jets in 2023, but Rodgers missed nearly all of the 2023 season due to a torn Achilles. He returned in 2024 and led the Jets to just a 5-12 record despite throwing for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns.

Of course, Rodgers has put together a Hall of Fame career, finishing up his 20th NFL season following the 2024 campaign. Over that time, the veteran quarterback has thrown for over 62,000 yards with 503 touchdowns, winning four MVP awards and a Super Bowl title with the Green Bay Packers, as well.