There seems to be a market for former New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers as he looks to end his career with more success than he saw in 2024. Whether it's the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, or another quarterback-needy team, it seems more likely than not that Rodgers will be on our collective television screens in Week 1.
No stranger to screen time, Rodgers will also join Pat McAfee on ESPN for a segment during the week. But once he calls it quits, will he descend from public life?
Not necessarily. Plenty of former players have made the jump from the gridiron to the studio in some fashion, with varying levels of success. Tony Romo instantly became CBS's top color commentator and Drew Brees fared less favorably, but there always seems to be a market for talented quarterbacks hanging up the cleats.
Thus, it remains possible that Rodgers parlays his Jets season and the final chapter of his career into a broadcasting gig. According to Sports Illustrated, that might come as a long-term replacement for Fox Sports' Jimmy Johnson.
"The person, though, that must appeal to Fox more than anyone is Aaron Rodgers," Jimmy Traina wrote. "He's a future Hall of Famer and one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the league. He has shown in his weekly appearance on the Pat McAfee Show that he knows how to create buzz. He loves attention.
"There isn't an A+ name out there at the moment to replace Johnson. But with the possibility of Rodgers becoming available in a year or two, the plan for Fox to plug in a stopgap to replace the Dallas Cowboys legend Johnson, and possibly Bradshaw, would make the most sense for now."
Fox is in the business of generating as many views as possible. With personalities like Michael Strahan and Rob Gronkoswki as part of the crew, they're no stranger to high-profile names meant to entertain. With Johnson retiring and Terry Bradshaw presumably soon to follow. Fox's pregame panel has Supreme Court-like openings waiting to be filled.
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That doesn't necessarily mean Rodgers is a fit. Pre-game and post-game coverage allows for some humor, but is largely for basic breakdowns of what just happened and what might be to come. There's a willingness to appeal to the general population inherent in that job description, and Rodgers' media experience isn't a natural stepping stone to that kind of role.
For better or worse, Rodgers likes sharing his opinions on … a variety of topics. That isn't to say he can't do a traditional broadcasting job, but is he willing to play by the rules that govern cable television?
Fox might give Rodgers a parting glance as he steps away from the game, but his specific choice of media availabilities should temper fans' expectations.
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This story was originally published March 5, 2025 at 3:51 PM.