On Tuesday, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey had a meeting with Aaron Rodgers about the 2025 season.
Per Russini, the Jets had several conditions for Rodgers to meet if the team would “be open” to bringing the four-time NFL MVP back in 2025. One of those conditions regarded Rodgers’ appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.
“Rodgers flew to New Jersey last week to meet with team leadership, including new head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey. Heading into the meeting, the Jets were undecided on whether to go forward with Rodgers but were open to the possibility if Rodgers agreed to make adjustments. Among them:
• Rodgers would no longer be permitted to make outside media appearances during the season, including his regular, paid appearances on “The Pat McAfee Show.”
Did the New York Jets violate the CBA?
Pro Football Talk‘s Mike Florio took “no longer be permitted” to mean that the Jets were telling Rodgers he could not appear on the ESPN show during the season. Florio pointed out that per the Collective Bargaining Agreement, New York couldn’t order Rodgers what to do with off-field media appearances.
The Jets also couldn’t compel Rodgers to attend voluntary OTAs in the spring.
The implication is clear, if Russini’s report on the Jets’ demands to Rodgers in the meeting were true, the team could be accused of defying the CBA.
The NFL Network defends the Jets
On Thursday night, the NFL Network‘s Ian Rapoport tried to clear up the situation by saying the Jets never really gave Rodgers an ultimatum, thus defending New York’s brass from potential issues this spring.
“My understanding, though, is this was really the product of several conversations with the Jets and Rodgers,” Rapoport said. “And from what I am told, there were no ultimatums made to him. It wasn’t like and I know there was a report, and it’s like, ‘Well, you know, the Jets don’t want Aaron Rodgers to do the Pat McAfee show, and if he agrees not to, then we’ll bring him back.’
“It wasn’t like that. Like, first of all, I don’t think the Jets really care that he’s on the Pat McAfee show. Honestly, probably just affects the PR department, doesn’t really affect anyone else. It’s New York, there are plenty of distractions elsewhere. It was really more like, ‘Well, if you go on that, could you maybe, like, use a little more discretion.’ And like, you know, they can’t tell them to show up to OTAs. That’s not allowed. But it’s like, ‘We’d like you to be around more.”
Aaron Rodgers was either given an ultimatum or not
Rapoport’s version of events, which defends the Jets’ brass, contradicted Russini, who specifically reported the team told Rodgers he couldn’t be on “The Pat McAfee Show” as one of the conditions for his potential return in 2025.
Rapoport tried to defend Russini and the Jets in one post on X on Thursday night.
“To be clear, Dianna Russini’s report is true — aggregators took it and changed it all,” Rapoport wrote. “The Jets and Rodgers talked about what next season would look like if he were to come back. It included conversations about offseason workouts and outside media, including McAfee. No ultimatums.”
To be clear, @DMRussini’s report is true — aggregators took it and changed it all. The Jets and Rodgers talked about what next season would look like if he were to come back. It included conversations about offseason workouts and outside media, including McAfee. No ultimatums. https://t.co/omqd9eartS
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 14, 2025
One problem with that post: Russini’s report cannot be correct if Rapoport’s is correct.
The NFL Network did what it does best, by taking a version of events that benefits the league owners and front office. It kinda helps Rapoport get scoops.
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