The New York Jets surprisingly activated Aaron Rodgers to the roster ahead of their Week 16 matchup with the Washington Commanders, but the four-time MVP won’t be playing again this season.
In fact, Rodgers reportedly didn’t even want to return to the Jets’ active roster once the team got eliminated from playoff contention. Obviously, the 40-year-old QB eventually gave into the team’s wish to have Rodgers at least return to the practice field so he could show the others how it’s done while building chemistry with cornerstones of the receiving corps.
Yet, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk indicated, Rodgers really didn’t want to see his name on the active roster again for one very valid reason. Why?
Because Rodgers knows how the numbers game works, once he was activated, it cost cornerback Kalon Barnes his spot on the team.
However, it wasn’t Rodgers who suddenly had a change of heart. Florio reports Jets GM Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh made the final decision to re-activate Rodgers to the roster.
Rodgers has since joined the scout team in practice. While he’s still working at his own pace, practices reportedly got ‘spirited’ and has the Jets moving forward with newfound confidence, defensively.
As to Barnes? The Jets still plan to bring him back once offseason rosters expand from 53 to 90 players. Otherwise, the lightning-quick cornerback with the speed to run a 4.23 40-yard dash can always latch onto another roster for the final two weeks of the season.
Related: Denver Broncos’ P.J. Locke opens up about his 40-hour RV road trip to play in Week 15