Aaron Rodgers had a surprisingly positive review of his time with the New York Jets — despite their 4-12 record this season and a full year spent recovering from injury in 2023.
On Jan. 1, the 41-year-old quarterback told reporters that his two seasons with the Jets have been “the best two years of my life,” according to the Associated Press.
Rodgers, who won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers before going to the Jets, emphasized “gratitude” for his time with the New York NFL team, regardless of a disappointing result on the field since he’s headed the offense.
He acknowledged the Jets’ lackluster 4-12 record this season, telling the media, “Obviously wish things would have gone better on the field.”
“But nothing but gratitude for this time in my life,” Rodgers said, predicting the team will make changes in the offseason.
Elsa/Getty
“If I’m a part of the change, then I just want to make sure everybody knows that I have nothing but gratitude for my time here,” he continued, per the AP.
“It’s been a great experience all around, and again, I’m disappointed about the performance of both myself and as a team, but really thankful for the opportunity.”
The four-time NFL MVP admitted, “Of course,” when asked if the Jets’ 14-40 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 29 could sway him towards retirement, but per the AP, Rodgers insisted he’s still not sure if he’ll return to the field for another season.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“I just need a break mentally to kind of refresh and put my feet in the sand,” Rodgers told reporters, adding, “And see where I’m at after that.”
Timothy T Ludwig/Getty
“If I feel good coming back and they want to make another run at this, that’d be fantastic,” Rodgers said. “But I’m not naive to the situation we’re in.”
It’s been a frustrating season for Rodgers, whose comeback from an achilles injury and controversial use of psychedelic drugs was the subject of the Netflix docuseries Aaron Rodgers: Enigma. The three-part documentary explores Rodgers’ fallout from his family, his views on vaccines and whether or not he should retire from football.
The series’ co-directors Gotham Chopra and Liam Hughes told PEOPLE after the release that Rodgers is “a very difficult person to understand.”
Chopra told PEOPLE, “I mean, not to get too esoteric, but does Aaron fully know himself? I don’t think he would say yes. I think it’s one of the things that distinguishes him from a lot of other athletes and people. He’s still very much on a journey.”
