In a surprising turn of events, Aaron Rodgers, the quarterback for the New York Jets, received a shockingly low paycheck of only $81.14 from his performance-based pay for the 2023 season. This amount is quite meager considering Rodgers’ status as one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks.
The reason behind Rodgers’ minimal earnings can be attributed to the fact that he only played in one drive before sustaining a season-ending Achilles injury. This stroke of bad luck drastically limited his playing time and subsequently impacted his performance-based pay.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, performance-based pay in the NFL is dependent on a player’s playing time and salary. Despite Rodgers’ substantial paycheck of $37.5 million from his two-year, $75 million deal with the Jets, his time on the field amounted to a mere 0.33% of the season’s snaps.
To put this into perspective, even the player with the least amount of playing time in 2023, who only participated in four snaps before suffering an injury, managed to earn more than Rodgers. This disparity in earnings highlights the unpredictable nature of the NFL and the importance of staying healthy and maximizing playing time.
Despite this financial setback, Rodgers remains determined to continue his NFL career for at least four more years. He is focused on making every snap count and showcasing his skills on the field.
However, with the Jets’ lackluster performance in 2023, Rodgers may be facing a pivotal season in New York. If the team fails to improve, it could spell the end of Rodgers’ time with the Jets.