The New York Jets now have around 35 million examples of Aaron Rodgers' commitment to the franchise.
The four-time NFL MVP agreed to a restructured two-year, $75 million deal with the Jets last week. The new contract saw him cough up around $35 million of the roughly $110 million in future guaranteed money he was previously owed.
So, why did Rodgers decide to take such a massive pay cut with his new team?
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WATCH HERE"It was the right thing that made me feel best," Rodgers told NBC Sports' Peter King.
“I thought it was important they knew how committed I was. And in my conversations with [Jets general manager Joe Douglas], he has made it very clear the vision for the football team.
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SIGN UP “... This year, compared to like 2005, the amount of transactions that happen now with guys getting cut and the amount of trades — way more than before. Big names move at the trade deadline now. I wanted to make sure that if somebody valuable came available that we’d be able to get him. I’m very happy with the contract. I feel great about it.”
The Jets acquired Rodgers, along with a 2023 fifth-rounder, from the Packers in exchange for a 2023 second-rounder, a 2023 sixth-rounder and a conditional 2024 second-rounder that becomes a first if Rodgers plays 65 percent of the plays in 2023. The two teams also swapped 2023 first-rounders, which saw New York drop from No. 13 to No. 15.
Rodgers, who has racked up $306.6 million in career earnings, agreed to a three-year, $150.8 million deal with the Green Bay Packers in 2022. He was previously the NFL's fourth-highest-paid player with an average annual salary of around $50 million. He dropped down to a tie for 12th at $37.5 million following the restructure.
According to Over the Cap, the Jets currently have close to $16 million in cap space. And some of that money could be used to sign a new weapon for Rodgers, as New York hosted four-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook for a free-agent visit last week.
