The Man-genius believes he has figured out Aaron Rodgers’ mind games.
Former Jets coach Eric Mangini said that Rodgers has been “doing everything he can to get cut” by owner Woody Johnson — or more aptly, by the owner’s teenage son — despite publicly stating that he’s open to running it back in Green and White in 2025.
“The fact that Aaron brought up the, ‘I’ve never been cut by a teenager, I’ve never been released by a teenager,’ that’s a direct shot at the owner,” Mangini said Friday during an appearance on “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd on FS1. “That’s legitimizing everything that’s been said in that organization. That’s making fun of how dysfunctional it is.
“So to me, as soon as he said that, in my mind said he wants out. But he doesn’t want to retire, obviously. He wants to get paid and not have to deal with any of the givebacks that come with retirement.”
The 41-year-old quarterback joked earlier this week during his regular appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on ESPN that it would be “a great story” if the elder Johnson truly is influenced by his 18-year-old son, Brick, about personnel matters, as outlined in a report by The Athletic.
The four-time NFL MVP has thrown for 3,511 yards and 24 touchdowns with eight interceptions for a 90.8 passer rating this season, but a team with Super Bowl aspirations before the season will miss the playoffs for a 14th straight year with a 4-11 record entering Sunday’s road game against the Bills.
“There’s a first time for everything and there’s been a few of those this year — first time in 20 years,” Rodgers said when asked by McAfee about Johnson’s sons. “I’ve never been released before. Being released would be a first. Being released by a teenager would also be a first.
“Hey, you know, I’m open to everything,” he added. “I find the comedy in all of it. If that happens, hey, it’s a great story.”
Rodgers has acknowledged that he is contemplating retirement, but he also has said he’d consider taking a pay cut to remain with the Jets and would be willing to mentor his potential successor if the team decides to select a quarterback in the first round of the draft.
Rodgers enters the final two weeks of the season one touchdown pass shy of becoming the fifth quarterback in NFL history to reach 500 for his career.
“Ideally, you would be able to keep [Rodgers],” Mangini added. “You’d be able to go get a young quarterback. He could compete with that young quarterback, probably start, and mentor that guy. I know that’s not his MO, but if we’re talking about a perfect world, that’s what you’d like to see.”
Of course, the Jets also are searching for a new general manager and a new head coach after Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh were fired separately earlier this season.
“I think the dysfunction that’s been there for a long time is gonna take a really strong GM that can create a relationship with the owner and can kind of temper some of his ideas, and it’s also gonna take a strong head coach, and those guys have to work in lockstep,” said Mangini, who coached the Jets for three seasons from 2006-08. “You’ve got no chance if they aren’t on the same page, and that’s been what seems like a problem for quite a few of these administrations over the last 10 years.”
