New York Jets’ Aaron Rodgers Throws 500th Career TD Pass in Season Finale
In What Could Be His Final Game in the Pros, Aaron Rodgers Tossed His 500th Career Regular Season TD
Joining the 500 TD Club
Do you remember what life was like back in high school? There were always clubs or clicks everybody wanted to be a part of. Be it for bragging rights, looking cool in front of everybody else, or just because some clubs stood out from others for their “coolness” factor.
This past Sunday, in the only piece of New York Jets-related NFL news worthy of speaking about, Aaron Rodgers managed to cement his legacy as one of the best quarterbacks in league history once again, joining the likes of Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, and Brett Favre as the fifth passer to pass for over 500 regular season TDs.
5️⃣0️⃣0️⃣
A career milestone for the all-time great, @AaronRodgers12. pic.twitter.com/u1jryXoRpR
— New York Jets (@nyjets) January 5, 2025
Yes, you may not like the man; you may think he’s a shell of his former being, one of New York’s latest failed experiments at the QB position, but the facts stand as solid as ever. From now on, when somebody types “Aaron Rodgers stats” on Google, the number 503 will stand tall at the TD slate.
That is, of course, if Rodgers calls it a career after yesterday’s win against the Miami Dolphins. Hitting tight end Tyler Conklin for a five-yard score, Aaron made history in what could be seen as one of the most disastrous Jets seasons in recent times.
Aaron Rodgers just threw his 500th TD
Only the 5th player in NFL history
pic.twitter.com/XHh4hwNICK
— Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) January 5, 2025
Rodgers would pass for three more TDs, two to his former Green Bay Packers targets, Allen Lazard and Davante Adams, and a last one to Breece Hall, capping off a 274 passing yards and four TD performance to finish the 2024 season.
So, besides joining one of the NFL’s coolest clubs, even while looking like he’s had enough, and leaving fans on the edge of a cliff until a decision is made, what’s next for Rodgers?
Aaron Rodgers in some pretty good company 🔥 pic.twitter.com/vXKiIoHysl
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 5, 2025
Yes, we can all agree that’s one of the coolest groups to be a part of.
500 Is Cool, but Is This It for Rodgers?
As a Jets fan for 26 years and counting, believe me, I’ve been through the wringer with this team. So, of course, when Rodgers decided to join, I, alongside all other Jets fans across the land, jumped for joy thinking of our team not being the butt of all NFL betting odds jokes.
Even with last season’s disastrous start to his tenure with New York, there was nothing anybody could say that would deter fans from backing the Jets in their NFL picks and predictions. Of course, that was all very short-lived, as the Jets would go on to outdo themselves, but not in a positive way, putting on a horrible season, even while having one of the more talented rosters in the league.
Let’s be real: Blaming Aaron Rodgers for the #Jets disastrous season is either lazy or just straight-up bias against him. The reality is, this mess goes way beyond Rodgers.@JakeAsmanShow pic.twitter.com/6svjLST6ou
— Jake Asman (@JakeAsman) January 6, 2025
Still, looking at this from a romantic perspective, even if the only thing Jets fans had to celebrate yesterday was Rodgers passing for over 500 TDs, it was a pretty sweet moment to live, one he made damn sure to keep a souvenir from.
Aaron Rodgers made sure to keep the ball after throwing his 500th career NFL touchdown pass 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ySRNl7m8tj
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 5, 2025
Seriously though, what’s next?
So, Is Rodgers Retiring?
Following the game, while being interviewed by veteran NFL reporter Pam Oliver, Rodgers fed some more suspicion to all the NFL rumors about his retirement, stating: “I’m gonna get home and relax… But I’m not going to hold anybody up. I’ll have conversations tomorrow with the Jets to see what they’re thinking, and then we will make a decision before it gets too late in the offseason.”
What could be Aaron Rodgers final post-game NFL interview: pic.twitter.com/LbrGkXrwSQ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 6, 2025
If he is to retire, there’s no denying this is a Top 5 QB of all time and first-ballot Hall of Famer. Both his career numbers and legacy speak volumes of him, even if he likes dabbing into ayahuasca, darkness, and occasionally acting like he’s losing his mind.
If today was Aaron Rodgers last game, he’ll finish his career with 503 TDs and 116 INTs.
That’s a 4.33 TD-INT ratio.
The next closest is Lamar at 3.39. pic.twitter.com/9MbE4pt0Fa
— Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) January 6, 2025
For now, as the Jets prepare for an offseason where many changes are bound to happen, with their 2025 NFL schedule being the only glimpse into the future right now, we’ll just have to wait and see what Rodgers decides.
