Lazard: Aaron Rodgers Talking Retirement Is Jets QB 'Just Doing It for the Headlines'

Few players in the NFL are more familiar with Aaron Rodgers than Allen Lazard, which is one of the reasons why he isn't buying the four-time MVP might retire at the end of this season.

Speaking to ESPN's Rich Cimini, Lazard explained he thinks Rodgers is "just doing it for the headlines and the clicks and the attention" when he talks about retirement.

"But with him, you never know," Lazard added, seemingly indicating he doesn't have a strong indication of Rodgers' plans one way or another.

Lazard has been teammates with Rodgers for all seven years of his NFL career. They spent five seasons together with the Green Bay Packers from 2018 to '22. Lazard signed with the Jets as a free agent in March 2023, roughly one month before the team acquired Rodgers in a trade with the Packers.

Rodgers has made a habit of keeping himself in the public eye over the years in order to control the narrative that he wants out there. It has served everyone well, as he stays in the headlines and it's not hard to find sports media writing stories about anything he does.

The retirement talk hasn't actually picked up much steam at this point. Some of that is because Rodgers' most recent comments on the issue were about how he was still intending to play in 2025.

If Rodgers does return, the question of where he will be playing is a significant one. The Jets will be hiring a new general manager and head coach who may not want to attach themselves to a 41-year-old quarterback.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Rodgers is considered a "long shot" to return to the Jets in 2025. The team will incur a $49 million dead cap charge if he is released, but the team could spread it out over two years by designating him as a post-June 1 release.

Lost amid all of the chaos of this Jets season is Rodgers hasn't been playing terribly. He is tied for eighth in the NFL with 20 touchdown passes and ranks 13th with 2,966 passing yards.