Stephen A. Smith Calls For Aaron Rodgers To Retire From New York Jets
If you follow our NFL coverage, you may be aware of our opinion on Stephen A. Smith as it regards his knowledge about the sport. He’s a comic actor and a workaholic. But he’s never demonstrated that he has any idea as to whether a football is blown up or stuffed. Nevertheless, he is the most prominent voice on a most powerful stage, so when he speaks? We don’t have to heed his thoughts. But we are obliged – if only due to the volume of his microphone – to listen.
And what we are listening to now, as Aaron Rodgers’ struggles with the New York Jets continues, is the call for the four-time MVP to call it quits. Rodgers, 40, has offered up very few moments that demonstrate he still has “it” as the former Green Bay Packers great – who missed all of the 2023 season with a torn Achilles – has guided the Jets to a disappointing 2-5 start in 2024. Rodgers hasn’t performed well. He’s pointed fingers when it comes to some of the explanations as to why, most recently half-joking following a 37-15 loss at Pittsburgh that the media has something to do with his decline.
Add it all up, and with Rodgers playing poorly come the growing calls for the future Hall of Fame quarterback to retire. “He has looked so bad, I’ve actually looked at the screen and found myself saying, ‘It might be time for him to really retire,'” Stephen A. Smith said. That is not a practical suggestion, of course, whether Smith knows it or not. He is locked in contractually here, and while the Buffalo Bills are positioned to run away with the AFC East, the Jets season is far from over.