Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — It’s no secret that Aaron Rodgers did not enjoy his two-year tenure with the New York Jets. Playing for a losing franchise like the Jets is not something that the four-time MVP is accustomed to.
The Jets had another disastrous season in 2025, finishing 3-14. With Rodgers leading the Steelers to the playoffs, it shows that he clearly wasn’t the problem.
During his media availability on Thursday, Rodgers made sure to let the Jets know about it with a passive aggressive comment directed at his former club.
“I think the way that [Mike Tomlin] creates the culture and allows guys to be themselves is an important part of team chemistry and being a healthy locker room,” Rodgers said. “One thing I really love, and it’s kind of the antithesis of where I was, is there’s not really any leaks in the boat. Every year you have difficulties and adversity, both on the field and off the field, and to go through a season like this, and to be able to focus on football and not have a lot of other little (expletive) out there has been really nice.”
At the NFL owners’ fall meetings in New York City, Jets owner Woody Johnson said he did not regret parting ways Rodgers.
“I never look back. You have to look forward in football. When you cut players they could be Hall of Famers, you just never know. But Aaron is playing great now. He’s in a situation that’s working for him,” Johnson said.
It didn’t take long for Rodgers to make his mark as the quarterback of the Steelers. On a day where the defense struggled immensely, Rodgers carried the load en route to a 34-32 victory over the Jets in Week 1. The former MVP, however, felt that much sweeter about the win.
In his postgame interview, Rodgers was asked about defeating the Jets, given the context of his exit interview with head coach Aaron Glenn. He wasn’t subtle about how he felt.
“I was happy to beat everyone associated with the Jets,” Rodgers responded.
Rodgers criticized Glenn and the Jets organization for having him fly cross country on his “own dime” to hear the news that he was no longer wanted.
“I think we’re gonna have this long conversation,” Rodgers said on The Pat McAfee Show in April. “I’ve flown across the country. Twenty seconds in … I’m talking to the GM about something and [Glenn] leans to the edge of his seat and goes, ‘So, do you want to play football?’
“And I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m interested.’
“Then he says, ‘We’re going in a different direction at quarterback.’”
With how the 2025 season unfolded, Rodgers certainly got the last laugh.
Alan Saunders and Brendan Howe provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Aaron Rodgers Takes Massive Shot at Jets
