Aaron Rodgers gave Jets fans a bit of a scare in March when reports indicated he was in consideration to be Robert Kennedy Jr.'s running mate on the independent candidate's presidential campaign. While that never materialized, Rodgers opened up Tuesday about how close he actually came to landing the role.
Asked how serious those talks were, Rodgers all but admitted an offer to run for vice president was on the table in March.
"I love Bobby. We had a couple really nice conversations," Rodgers said. "But there were really two options. It was retire and be his VP or keep playing. And I want to keep playing."
Aaron Rodgers says he had two options - retire and be RFK's vice president or keep playing football
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) May 21, 2024
He wanted to keep playing football pic.twitter.com/tSKDSupxzn
Kennedy wound up choosing attorney and philanthropist Nicole Shanahan as his running mate in late March, ending any speculation that Rodgers could be on the ticket. Rodgers' comments on Tuesday, however, revealed what Jets fans initially feared: the 40-year-old quarterback had the option to step away from football and formally enter the political arena.
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Rodgers didn't expand on why he desired to keep playing, but he made it clear that in the days after he tore Achilles last September, he was motivated to come back and play again. In early March, Rodgers said he hoped to play two-to-four more seasons. That didn't give the impression the four-time MVP was ready to step away, even if he's considered retirement before.
With that being said, Rodgers has become more involved in political debates and social issues in recent offseasons. He recently sat down for an extended interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, hitting numerous hot-button issues.
An electoral win for Kennedy is viewed as an extreme long shot. If that wasn't the case, would Rodgers' answer have been any different? The Jets, who have veteran Tyrod Taylor as their No. 2 quarterback, are glad they won't have to find out the answer.