Aaron Rodgers wearing wired earphones leaves fans mocking Jets QB’s decision to take $35,000,000 pay cut

Aaron Rodgers wearing wired earphones leaves fans mocking Jets QB’s decision to take $35,000,000 pay cut - “Can’t afford AirPods”

By Henrique Bulio

Modified Aug 10, 2023 13:12 GMT

Aaron Rodgers' recent pay cut with the New York Jets facilitated his team to go after big stars during the trade deadline as he left $35M on the table.

Rodgers has earned a lot throughout his career, and by accepting a pay cut, he makes it easier for the team to reinforce the roster and compete at the top of the AFC. He wants a Super Bowl, and that is clear.

While NFL fans can understand the decision behind accepting less money on his new deal, that doesn't stop them from making jokes on Twitter (X). As the quarterback arrived at the Jets' facilities with a wired earbud, the jokes about money and AirPods wrote themselves:

Why did Aaron Rodgers take a pay cut with the New York Jets?

Ever since he was traded from the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets, Aaron Rodgers has been a completely different guy on and off the field. He seems happier, he has created a nice bond with the fans and with his new teammates and, more importantly, he seems to be at peace with his own team.

While he will forever be remembered for his excellent performances for more than a decade in Green Bay, he was at a crossroads with the front office. Yes, he did return for two more seasons, but taking a pay cut appeared to be out of the question.

Aaron Rodgers' surprise contract extension with the New York Jets, which lowered his guaranteed money by $35 million in a three-year, $112 million deal, also made sure he's going to play in the 2024 season.

When there's more money to spread around, you can pay better players and field a better team on Sundays. With Rodgers' arrival in New York marred with expectations of a second Super Bowl ring, and with millions earned over two decades, having better players around obviously makes the job easier.

About the author

Henrique Bulio is an NFL and College Football journalist at Sportskeeda and the Editor-in-Chief of Pro Football Brasil. He has a total 13 years of experience working in American Football, and playing quarterback at an amateur level in Brazil has given him a unique perspective of the game.

Henrique follows the Philadelphia Eagles closely due to Michael Vick's historic performance on MNF against the Washington Commanders in 2010. His all-time favorite player is Ed Reed; he believes that Reed is the greatest safety to ever play the game. Bill Belichick gets the nod as Henrique's favorite coach for coaching the Patriots to glory over two decades.

If Henrique were to be able to go back in time and watch one game, it would be Super Bowl XLIX, where the Patriots and the Seahawks played a complete, back-and-forth game that concluded with one of the biggest talking points in NFL history.

Technical deep dives are Henrique’s specialty, and he ensures never to use misleading words in his articles, since he himself consumes a lot of information off the web. He has had the privilege of interviewing Cairo Santos, Lamar Jackson, Jim Harbaugh, Sean McDermott, Bruce Arians, Matt LaFleur, among others.

Aside from football, Henrique likes to play poker and Counter-Strike.

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