"He might be forced to retire" - 2x NFL MVP serves Aaron Rodgers harsh reality check

Aaron Rodgers finds himself in unfamiliar territory this February. The New York Jets officially announced that they were cutting ties with the four-time NFL MVP two years after swinging a blockbuster trade for him and handing him a three-year, $112.5 million deal.

Rodgers, who was healthy the entire season, started all 17 games and ended the year with 3,897 yards and 28 TDs, good enough for the third-best single-season totals in franchise history. The hope was that Rodgers would be paired with a top-level defense along with some dynamic young playmakers like Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall to hit the ground running. Alas, the Jets finished with five wins in his second season, ending up with the No. 7 overall pick rather than contesting for a spot in the playoffs.

After the season finale against the Miami Dolphins, Rodgers said he would be open to playing for another franchise if the Jets didn't want him back. However, two-time NFL MVP Steve Young had a few words of caution for Rodgers as he looks to find a new team to play for in 2025.

“Aaron, because he’s healthy a full year, mobility’s down, everything else… but if he can get to a place that understand the position and has an innovative mindset... There’s more and more places like that that take advantage of the new football that’s being played. If he can get to one of those spots, I’m sure he’d love to go play some great football especially with a more innovative mind," Young said on Tuesday's episode of the Dan Patrick Show.

Then came the reality check.

"He might be forced to retire because no one will give him a job. He can’t go to a place where it’s not set up for a quarterback, just flat out not even going to bother with it. He just did that with the Jets so he’s not going to do it again.”

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What will Aaron Rodgers' exit cost the Jets?

The Jets will eat $49 million in dead money when they eventually release Rodgers. As things stand, it would make sense for the franchise to designate him as a post-June 1 cut. In that case, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, they would have to carry a $23.5 million cap hit until that date, when it drops to $14M.

So far, Rodgers has been linked with a slew of names, including potentially landing with his good friend Tom Brady's franchise - the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders prised themselves out of a higher pick with two late-season wins and with QB-needy teams like the Browns and Giants way higher on the draft board, the franchise might need to look at alternatives to start over at QB.