Aaron Rodgers Benching: Rich Eisen Urges Jets QB to “Find a Better Spot” for Next Season

Instead of chasing his 500th career touchdown pass, Aaron Rodgers chose to bench himself in the fourth quarter against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. “I mean, it was 33-0,” Rodgers explained in the post-game press conference about the decision to offer their backup QB Tyrod Taylor more game time. Interestingly, Taylor finished with 2 touchdowns, albeit in a 14-40 loss.

Rodgers threw 2 interceptions against the Bills, while the backup QB had a superior performance. Following the game, seasoned analyst Rich Eisen stated that it’s time for A-Rod to leave the Jets and find another team if he plans to play next season.

“I get it. I don’t know why he’d want to stay. He should go find another spot. Like if he’s already on Favre’s plan, Favre left the Jets and ended up going to the NFC Championship. So, find a better spot,” he said on The Rich Eisen Show.

Eisen also dismissed the idea of using Rodgers as a “bridge guy” for the Tennessee Titans or the New Orleans Saints, explaining, “No, those are teams that are not close,” even though he did not name a team that might pick Rodgers next year. 

With 3,511 yards and 24 touchdowns, Aaron Rodgers had a statistically average season in 2024. In other words, what was initially touted as the project to end Jets 55-year-old wait for the Super Bowl miserably failed in his comeback season.

In the meantime, a DailyMail report stated that Rodgers shortlisted four teams that he could play if the Jets released him. But, none of these teams—the Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans, and Indianapolis Colts—have shown much interest in acquiring a new QB so far. At 41, age is not on his side as well. 

Interestingly, Rodgers’ 2024 journey mirrors that of Brett Favre in 2008, when the NFL legend parted ways with the Jets and retired after just one season in New York. Both seasons were statistically similar, with Favre posting 3,472 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 22 interceptions in 16 games that year—numbers that closely resemble Rodgers’ performance this season.

Cut to 2024, with age and performance not up to standards, there is a high possibility that Aaron Rodgers might decide to follow the same route and finish his career as Favre did after a historic association with the Packers.