Former New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers may have played his last game in the NFL. Now, a more significant question regarding his legacy must commence…

At the height of his career, Rodgers was one of the greatest quarterbacks in league history. He won the NFL MVP award four times, won a Super Bowl, and is in the top five for touchdown passes thrown and yards.

For all his greatness, though, Rodgers’ off-field antics and struggles late in his career have raised questions about just how good the veteran was in his prime, and what he’ll be compared to once retirement is official.

Following the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 30-6 defeat to the Houston Texans, which saw Rodgers turn the ball over multiple times, questions about his legacy have already begun.

Moreover, it’s fair to wonder what part the Jets played in that.

Rodgers’ Jets legacy

When playing for the Green Bay Packers, Rodgers was among the most feared signal-callers in the league. While he won only a single Super Bowl title, his arm talent was unlike anything many analysts had ever seen at the position.

But the Super Bowl wins (plural) never really came.

By the end of his tenure, the off-field antics, which included pointing fingers at coaches and players, as well as offseason distractions, led to a parting of ways with the Green Bay Packers.

The Jets were not the ones who fundamentally broke Rodgers. They did everything to appease the signal-caller when they first traded for him back in 2023. They hired his friend as offensive coordinator and signed many of his former teammates.

It still didn’t work out.

A torn Achilles tendon four plays into his debut, followed by a five-win season in 2024 with a top-five finish in most passing categories, left the Jets with no alternative either. They released Rodgers with the onset of a new regime.

Rodgers’ time in Pittsburgh wasn’t a massive success either. The team finished 9-8, he openly criticized players who did the wrong thing on the field, and was blown out in his first-round playoff run.

The truth is that the legacy of a veteran quarterback is rarely destroyed after a certain age. For example, Tom Brady lost his final NFL game by a score of 31-14. Dan Marino lost 62-7.

Rodgers’ failings with the Jets won’t affect his Hall of Fame candidacy or his all-time greatness. All it does is show that the organization cannot simply be saved by the credentials of others.

It’s a lesson that continues to be right in front of the New York Jets’ face.