Aaron Rodgers gets seal of approval from the only individual Jets fans trust

The 2024 New York Jets were arguably the most disappointing team NFL fans have seen in quite some time. For years, all Jets fans heard was that they were a quarterback away. Aaron Rodgers was brought to East Rutherford to be the franchise's savior. Sure, he tore his Achilles in 2023, but was sure to rebound in a huge way in 2024 armed with an elite supporting cast to lead the Jets to, at the very least, a playoff berth.

Unfortunately, this Jets season felt doomed from the start. New York started 2-1, but proceeded to lose five in a row and eight of nine to fall out of postseason contention before Thanksgiving even rolled around. By the time it was all said and done, the Jets finished with a 5-12 record, and they will hold the No. 7 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

A lot went wrong for the Jets in 2024. Both Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas were fired. The defense took a massive step back. Perhaps the most disappointing player on the roster, though, was Rodgers. Despite an improved offensive line, elite receivers, and a strong running game, he was pedestrian at best under center for most of the season.

Most Jets fans have been ready to move on from Rodgers since around Thanksgiving, but the one individual most Jets fans can trust nowadays believes he should stick around if he wants to continue playing football.

Joe Namath quarterbacked the only Super Bowl-winning team in Jets history and is easily the greatest quarterback in the history of the franchise. If he believes that there's no doubt Rodgers has at least one more year in him, that's tough to ignore.

Jets legend gives fans reason to believe Aaron Rodgers should stick around

With Rodgers coming off a pretty subpar season and being 41 years old, it's safe to wonder whether he even wants to come back in 2025. If he does, it's also safe to wonder whether the Jets want him back.

Rodgers was able to suit up for all 17 games this season despite battling through numerous injuries but didn't have the most impressive stat line ever. He completed just 63 percent of his throws for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns compared to 11 interceptions. He wasn't awful, but through his first 16 games, he ranked 25th in QBR (48.4) and 20th in QB rating (89.1) per ESPN. Sure, he was a step up from the likes of Zach Wilson, Trevor Siemian, and Tim Boyle, but that isn't saying much. The two times we saw Tyrod Taylor appear in games, he looked considerably better than Rodgers did.

Rodgers being pedestrian at best despite everything he had around him suggests New York should not bring him back, especially when he's only going to be one year older on this date next year. With that being said, though, what other options do the Jets have?

With the team slated to pick No. 7 overall, it's unlikely that they'll be able to trade up for their QB of the future, and this is a weaker QB draft class anyway. They could explore free agency, but Sam Darnold is the best option in that market, and that isn't happening. They could look at the trade market, but what upgrade is going to be available there?

Based on what Jets fans watched this season, they have little reason to agree with Namath, even if he did play well in New York's Week 18 game. Garrett Wilson's rumored stance only makes it tougher to buy into Rodgers. With the lack of alternatives, though, the Jets might have no choice but to try to trick themselves into believing Rodgers has more in the tank as they try and rebound in 2025.