Aaron Rodgers suggests sinister reason for Jets playoff drought

The New York Jets were eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday following their 32-26 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins, marking the 14th straight season without a playoff appearance, the longest active playoff drought in North American sports. All of this was supposed to change when Aaron Rodgers was traded to the Jets ahead of the 2023 season. In Rodgers' Jets debut, however, he suffered an Achilles injury that kept him out for the rest of the season.

This year, Rodgers has played in every game but hasn't looked like his old self. The Jets have lost four games in a row and are 3-10, tied with the New England Patriots for last place in the AFC East. On a Tuesday appearance on Kay Adams' show "Up and Adams", Jets wide receiver Davante Adams said the Jets may be cursed. On Wednesday, Rodgers supported his wide receiver's hypothesis.

"I mean, it might be something like that," he said. "It might be some sort of curse we've got to snap as well."

Aaron Rodgers addressed the #Jets culture. On whether they lack a winning gene:

“It might be something like that. It might be some sort of curse you have to snap as well."
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) December 11, 2024

That comment may have awoken something in long-suffering Jets fans who have been feeling this way for a while. Only Jets fans who are 60 and older will remember the last time the Jets had true success; when Joe Namath guaranteed a Super Bowl victory over the Baltimore Colts. Since then, the Jets have played in only four AFC Championships and haven't made it back to the NFL's biggest stage.

The same could be said about their current quarterback. Rodgers led the Green Bay Packers to a Super Bowl in his third year as a starter but has found it difficult to make it back. He's lost, ironically, in four NFC Championships since leading the Packers to a Super Bowl victory in February 2011.

The question now is, will Rodgers be given another chance to break this curse as the Jets' quarterback next season? According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Rodgers is considered a "long shot" to return to the Jets next season. If that's the case, New York will be looking for a new coach, GM and quarterback for the 2025 season.