As we all know by now, the Aaron Rodgers and New York Jets’ relationship didn’t work out. After one season marred by an Achilles injury and another filled with drama and too many losses, Rodgers and the Jets decided to part ways.
It became official on Wednesday, when the NFL’s free agency period opened and the Jets formally released Aaron Rodgers.
The cost of releasing Rodgers
As the Jets released Rodgers after 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday and by giving him a post-June 1 designation, they will save $7 million. Still, they’re stuck with $49 million in dead money, including a $35 million dead cap hit in 2026. They’ll keep a $21 million cap hit until June 1.
Now official: Jets are releasing Aaron Rodgers after 4 pm today. The Jets will take on $49M in dead money by releasing Rodgers. He’s being designated as a post-June 1 cut, meaning they’ll carry his $21M cap hit until June 1, when it drops to $14M—saving $7M. But they then will… pic.twitter.com/JQAGGXZW3K
– Adam Scha after (@Adamscha after) March 12, 2025
Although the dead cap number is significant, the Jets would’ve been worse off if they’d kept Rodgers, as they would’ve owed him $35 million before the 2025 seasonwhich would’ve left them with an even bigger dead cap hit of $63 million in 2026.
Without Rodgers, the Jets are focusing on building the team around quarterback Justin Fields. Meanwhile, Rodgers looks to head to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are the only playoff contenders still interested at this point.
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