The Tennessee Titans may need a new starting quarterback in 2025. Aaron Rodgers may need a new team to play for in 2025.
Any legitimate connections between the former league MVP and Tennessee end there, but that didn’t stop Rodgers from trying to butter up the state of Tennessee in his weekly interview with The Pat McAfee Show on Monday.
“Shoutout to the great state of Tennessee,” Rodgers said after a conversation about the Vols’ CFP loss last Saturday, with a grin on his face. “Phenomenal state. Great people out there. Great people. No state income tax. A lot of great country music down there. Great barbecue (in) Memphis.”
People online immediately connected the dots about a possible Rodgers-to-Titans move in the offseason, or at least Rodgers’ desire to move along from the Jets after the season is over with one season remaining on his current contract.
Aaron Rodgers just went out of his way to shoutout “the great state of Tennessee” before listing all the things he likes about it during his weekly interview on The Pat McAfee Show 🤔
— Ben Axelrod (@BenAxelrod) December 23, 2024
Would Titans, Aaron Rodgers be a good fit in 2025?
Whether he meant to or not (Rodgers’ smirk may have given it away, as did the smirk from Rodgers’ former teammate and Pat McAfee Show professional head-shaker A.J. Hawk), a Rodgers-to-Titans move would require a lot of steps between now and next season.
OUCH: Grading Tennessee Titans moves in 2024, from Mike Vrabel firing to Will Levis benching
The Jets (4-11) would have to take a major cap hit to release Rodgers, 41, at a rate of $49 million next season per Spotrac. New York already fired coach Robert Saleh earlier in the season, and while Rodgers’ raw numbers don’t look bad (3,511 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions), his yards-per-attempt (6.6 YPA) is the lowest of his career (and worse than Will Levis and Mason Rudolph) and the Jets offense is 24th in points per game. Those numbers have come with well-regarded wide receivers Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson on the roster, though Adams did join the team midseason.
Rodgers also referenced possibly getting cut for the first time in his career during Monday’s discussion on the Pat McAfee Show.
Rodgers likely would not come without a good idea that he would be a starter, which would require the Titans to make a decision about Will Levis’ future. In theory, Levis would be among the cheaper QB2s in the league with a chance to learn under a multi-time NFL MVP. But will Levis want to compete for a starting job?
At 41 years old, Rodgers wouldn’t be in Nashville for the long haul. The Titans offensive line would need to get better, especially along the right side. Calvin Ridley is a legitimate weapon, but the Titans’ skill group would be a step down for Rodgers without reinforcements to come this offseason.
Most importantly: Given how the Titans’ 2024 season has gone similarly as poorly as the Jets’, why would Rodgers want to sign up for a similar situation?
Several veteran QB options are expected to be on the free agent market, including Falcons QB Kirk Cousins (reportedly expected to be released this offseason), Steelers QB Russell Wilson and others.
Rodgers is no stranger for stirring up controversy, on purpose or not. Rodgers said publicly that he was “immunized” when he was asked if he had taken the COVID-19 vaccination in 2021, then walked that back after testing positive for COVID during the season, admitting he was unvaccinated.
Rodgers teased joining Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on a third-party ticket during the 2024 presidential election, then told CNN in May that he turned RFK Jr. down.
And this month, Rodgers’ Netflix documentary, “Aaron Rodgers: Enigma”, was released, detailing his return from a torn Achilles last season while exploring his off-field lifestyle.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Aaron Rodgers shouts out ‘great state of Tennessee’ on Pat McAfee Show
