Aaron Rodgers' Top NFL Landing Spots After Jets Officially Move on From QB in 2025

The New York Jets are ending the Aaron Rodgers era after two seasons.

In a move that has been expected, the Jets announced on Thursday they informed Rodgers they will be moving forward without him.

Rodgers acknowledged going into the final week of the regular season that his playing future was uncertain, much less his future with the Jets.

"I'm just more resigned to the reality of the situation," Rodgers said. "I think there's going to be change here, and if I'm a part of the change, then I just want to make sure everybody knows I have nothing but gratitude for my time here."

Until Rodgers provides an answer about retirement, the door is open to at least speculate about where he could end up in 2025 if he keeps playing.

Here are the teams that need a quarterback and could try to pull one more quality year out of Rodgers.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Kara Durrette/Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been riding the quarterback carousel for years since Ben Roethlisberger retired, so why stop now? They've had five different quarterbacks start at least one game over the past three seasons.

At some point the Steelers have to think about a long-term solution at the position, but there's no obvious path for them to get one this offseason. Maybe they would try for someone like Sam Darnold in free agency, though his finish to the 2024 season leaves a lot of questions about his skill level.

Rodgers has praised Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin in the past, including in December during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.

Steelers owner Art Rooney II told reporters last month that his "preference" this offseason would be to sign either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields.

Rodgers' personality doesn't seem like it would mesh with the way Tomlin runs the operation and the aura the Steelers have built over the years.

Steelers quarterbacks finished last season with 3,264 yards, 21 touchdowns and six interceptions. Rodgers threw for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 17 starts.

Las Vegas Raiders

Carmen Mandato/Getty Images for The Match

This pairing is tricky because the Las Vegas Raiders have a potential pathway to selecting one of the top quarterbacks in the 2025 draft with the No. 6 overall pick.

In the most recent mock draft from B/R's NFL scouting department, Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are off the board within the first three picks. It makes sense that quarterback-needy teams like the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants would prioritize the position.

There's also the matter of what new Raiders head coach Pete Carroll wants to do at the quarterback spot. He is the oldest active head coach in the NFL, with his 74th birthday on Sept. 15.

Carroll may not want to wait on a young quarterback to develop since he is making his return to the league after parting ways with the Seattle Seahawks following the 2023 season.

Another potential factor in the Raiders' quarterback discussion is how much influence Tom Brady will have. There have been rumblings they could pursue Darnold, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Rodgers would likely only be a one- or two-year stopgap at the position, but he might have enough clout built up over the course of his career to make Brady believe he can be the answer they've been seeking at quarterback.

Indianapolis Colts

Justin Casterline/Getty Images

It will be interesting to see how the Indianapolis Colts approach this offseason with regards to the quarterback spot. There were some indications during the 2024 season they had grown cold on Anthony Richardson.

Colts head coach Shane Steichen said after the regular season ended he's open to adding another quarterback to the roster who can compete with Richardson for the starting job.

Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard could be under an intense microscope to win in 2025. The Colts are a respectable 17-17 in two seasons with Steichen, but they haven't made the playoffs since 2020.

The Colts would need to upgrade their offensive line, which was a league-average unit in 2024, to help protect Rodgers at this stage of his career when his mobility isn't nearly what it once was.

There are pathways for the Colts to add an offensive lineman, including with the No. 14 pick in the 2025 draft. There are also some quality free-agent linemen, such as Ronnie Stanley and Trey Smith.

If the Colts put a quality offensive line on the field with Jonathan Taylor at running back and add one more solid pass-catcher, there's a foundation in place that would allow Rodgers to be successful.