Aaron Rodgers’ Steelers playoff flop validates Jets’ QB choice

The transaction log said one thing. It documented that the Jets released quarterback Aaron Rodgers on March 12 after two seasons, an official parting of ways that signaled the first major move of the Aaron Glenn era and the end of a chapter in which lofty expectations never amounted to much more than that.

But in a way, Gang Green’s decision to move on from Rodgers only ensured he’d always be tied with Glenn. Rodgers, who turned 42 last month, said he wanted to remain with the Jets, and while he certainly didn’t look like a signal-caller on the doorstep of a fifth MVP award, there were glimpses of his vintage form that materialized throughout 2024 — cobbling together to create a case for why a team needing to develop a young quarterback should keep one of the best in the sport’s history on their 53-man roster for as long as they could.

Glenn, though, decided otherwise. He wanted to change the culture, and Rodgers’ antics and shenanigans didn’t have a place. The divorce was ugly. Rodgers ripped the Jets’ handling of it on “The Pat McAfee Show,” for the allegedly 15-minute meeting that didn’t contain much respect and could’ve happened, in the eyes of Rodgers, over the phone. The Jets were more concerned about the messaging surrounding his release, Rodgers said at the time.

Ten months to the day after that official breakup and around 11 months after the infamous meeting, the lingering optics — the messaging of the present — might have further dinged the Jets. Rodgers started a playoff game for the Steelers on Monday night, but then they were crushed by the Texans, 30-6, and he managed just 146 yards passing while throwing a pick-six on what might end up being his final NFL pass.