Jets owner addresses Aaron Rodgers' potential vice presidential desires

New York Jets fans were surprised to learn in March that independent 2024 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was considering naming Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers his running mate.  

According to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, Jets owner Woody Johnson said during a recent Fox News appearance that the Rodgers story was little more than a "momentary distraction" for everyone involved. 

"He is getting back to football 100 percent," Johnson said about Rodgers' recovery from the torn Achilles he suffered in September 2023. "He never left football. That was a momentary distraction — maybe like going in the dark room or whatever. But he’s back 100 percent. Great leader. I tell the receivers, 'You count to 10, hold your hands up and look around, the ball will be there.'" 

Rodgers famously completed a so-called "darkness retreat" last offseason before he accepted a trade from the Green Bay Packers to the Jets. Back in March 2023, he claimed during an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" that he went into that retreat "90 percent retired and 10 percent playing."

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk and Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic were among those who mentioned Rodgers probably couldn't serve as an active NFL player while campaigning with Kennedy leading up to the November election. Florio reported on March 16 that the Jets didn't believe Rodgers would be Kennedy’s running mate, and Kennedy eventually chose attorney and entrepreneur Nicole Shanahan. 

Thanks to Johnson, Rodgers has been given at least somewhat of a voice regarding personnel decisions made by the Jets. The future Hall of Famer accepted a pay cut last summer to help the Jets acquire needed talent through at least the 2024 season, and Rodgers said this past winter that he ideally will continue playing for another "two, three or four more years." 

Johnson told Fox News the Jets should be in for "an exciting start to the season" in September as long as they can keep Rodgers "on his feet." Even if the 2024 Jets feature an improved offensive line, it's far too early to say what the 40-year-old signal-caller will and won't be coming off an injury known to shorten and even end careers.