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Aaron Rodgers Should Retire After 2024 Season

Aaron Rodgers still has it.

The 40-year-old turned back the clock on Thursday night, carving up the New England Patriots’ defense to lead the New York Jets to a 24-3 victory. Rodgers completed 27 of 35 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns.

Rodgers’ stat line didn’t tell the whole story, though.

New England had trouble getting to Rodgers all night, pressuring him often, only to see the 20-year NFL veteran use his legs to scramble out of danger and hit an open man on the run. Passes were crisp. Spreading the wealth looked easy. It felt like we were watching the Rodgers of old.

There’s a lot of football left to be played, but if Rodgers can replicate Thursday’s performance on a biweekly basis—at least—he’s going to put together one hell of a season.

And it should be his last if that’s the case.

Like it or not, Rodgers really has nothing left to prove. He’s a four-time MVP. He’s got a Super Bowl ring on his finger. He’s cemented himself as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.

Rodgers had his 2023 campaign cut remarkably short when he tore his left Achilles after taking just four snaps in New York’s season opener against the Buffalo Bills. Now here he is, at the age of 40, looking spry as ever.

Watching Rodgers put together a strong season and potentially lead the Jets to a playoff berth—or better yet, a championship—on the heels of a season-ending Achilles injury before riding off into the sunset is the perfect ending.

New York isn’t, and shouldn’t be, the favorite to go all the way by any means, but we should get to see Rodgers for at least one playoff game.

Suppose Rodgers has himself a season for the ages, then opts to keep playing. How do you possibly go up from there? You don’t. If we’re lucky in that scenario, Rodgers doesn’t show all that much regression in 2025 and just kind of falls to the wayside, eventually hanging up the cleats in a year or two.

But Father Time is undefeated. And something tells us that a 41-year-old Rodgers would be a pretty favorable matchup for him. Injury could end Rodgers’ career once and for all, or we could see a shell of a man who once threw for 48 touchdowns against just five picks in one season.

I don’t know about you, but that’s not how I want to remember one of the most talented signal-callers of this generation.

Granted, all of this is pretty easy for me to say, sitting in front of my laptop, typing, something I could do until I’m 85. Writing has a long shelf life. A lot of careers do. Football doesn’t. So, I reckon it’s pretty hard to step away from it when you’re still succeeding. 

However, if the chance to go out on top presents itself, you might as well take it.

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Guardians go deep seven times as they club Twins

Jul 20, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians designated hitter Rhys Hoskins (8) celebrates his solo home run in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn ImagesJul 20, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians designated hitter Rhys Hoskins (8) celebrates his solo home run in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images

Rookie Petey Halpin hit his first two home runs and Rhys Hoskins had his 14th career multi-homer game as the Cleveland Guardians went deep a season-high seven times, rolling to a 13-4 victory over the visiting Minnesota Twins on Monday night.

Travis Bazzana and Brayan Rocchio also cleared the fence against Twins starter Joe Ryan (6-6), who allowed a franchise- and ballpark-record six homers in four innings — the most in the majors this season — in his first appearance since the All-Star Game.

Patrick Bailey belted Cleveland’s seventh homer off Woo-Suk Go in the seventh, tying the club’s mark for most ever at home. It was the second-most home runs for any team in a game this season.

Rookie Chase DeLauter had four hits and three RBIs, Bailey totaled four hits and drove in a pair, and Halpin had three hits and three RBIs.

The Guardians scored in each of the first seven innings, hitting six homers in the first four for the initial time since the franchise was founded in 1901. They moved within one-half game of the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central Division.

Tanner Bibee (4-9) won his second consecutive start, working six innings and giving up two runs on six hits. The right-hander struck out five and walked one to post his second victory in 12 home outings this season.

Minnesota lost its third straight, falling 2 1/2 games behind the Boston Red Sox for the final wild-card spot in the AL. The Twins got as close as 3-2 in the second on Brooks Lee’s RBI triple and a sacrifice fly by Alan Roden.

All-Star Byron Buxton went 2-for-3 in his return from the injured list with a right hip strain for Minnesota. Backup catcher Alex Jackson pitched a scoreless eighth.

Ryan, who entered the contest with a 1.72 ERA in six starts in Cleveland, gave up eight runs on a career-high 10 hits with three strikeouts and zero walks. Halpin had a two-run homer in the second for his first blast in 68 at-bats in the majors.

The Guardians’ three runs in the first came on Rocchio’s two-run homer and Hoskins’ solo shot, both after Kody Clemens failed to turn an inning-ending double play on a routine grounder.

Cleveland took its largest lead at 13-3 in the seventh on DeLauter’s two-run double off Go. Its 10 extra-base hits, 13 runs and 19 hits were season bests.

–Field Level Media

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Rays end losing streak, shut down struggling Jays

Jul 20, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN;  Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Nick Martinez (28) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn ImagesJul 20, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Nick Martinez (28) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Victor Mesa Jr., Cedric Mullins and Nick Fortes socked solo home runs Monday night and the visiting Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 7-1.

Junior Caminero was 3-for-4 with two doubles, a walk, and two RBIs in the opener of a four-game series to support Nick Martinez, who pitched six effective innings.

Martinez (9-2) allowed one run, six hits and one walk with no strikeouts to help Tampa Bay go to 6-1 against Toronto this season.

Helped by three Toronto errors, the Rays snapped a five-game losing streak and are 1-4 on their eight-game road trip. Toronto is 1-3 on a six-game homestand and fell 11 1/2 games behind the first-place Rays in the American League East.

The Rays took a 1-0 lead against Dylan Cease (6-5) with one out in the second when Mesa Jr. homered for the third straight game, belting a 2-2 sinker to center.

Tampa Bay scored again in the third. Taylor Walls led off the third with a double to right and moved to third on Cease’s errant pickoff throw. Jonathan Aranda grounded a single to right past a drawn-in second baseman Ernie Clement.

Toronto cut the lead to 2-1 when George Springer singled, stole second and scored on Alejandro Kirk’s two-out single to right.

The Rays scored two unearned runs in the fifth. Fortes reached first base on third baseman Kazuma Okamoto’s throwing error, took second on Walls’ sacrifice bunt and scored when shortstop Andres Gimenez committed an error on Yandy Diaz’s grounder. Diaz stole second and sprinted home on Caminero’s single to left.

Mullins led off the sixth with a homer to center on a first-pitch knuckle curve.

Cease allowed five runs (three earned), seven hits and one walk with seven strikeouts in six innings.

Braydon Fisher replaced Cease in the seventh and allowed a run on an infield hit by Diaz and a two-out RBI double by Caminero to center.

Cam Booser replaced Martinez and pitched a perfect seventh.

Fortes homered to left-center on a 2-1 slider to lead off the ninth against Brendon Little.

Tampa Bay’s Bryan Baker worked around a walk and a single in the bottom of the ninth.

–Field Level Media

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Braves open four-game set with low-scoring win over Padres

Jul 20, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Bryce Elder (55) throws against the San Diego Padres in the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn ImagesJul 20, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Bryce Elder (55) throws against the San Diego Padres in the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies hit solo home runs and Bryce Elder pitched six strong innings to help the Atlanta Braves beat the visiting San Diego Padres 3-2 on Monday in the opener of their four-game series.

It was Atlanta’s first win in four tries against the San Diego. The Braves are 3-1 and the Padres are 1-3 since the All-Star break.

Harris went deep in the fifth to tie the game and Albies homered in the sixth, although their streak of nine consecutive home games with at least five runs came to an end.

Elder (6-6) allowed two runs on five hits and one walk, striking out four. Victor Mederos pitched the final 2 1/3 innings and earned his first career save.

San Diego’s Ty France extended his hitting streak to a season-high eight games with a single in the fourth and homered to start the seventh. It was his 15th of the year, the fifth during his hitting streak, and forced Elder to leave the game.

San Diego starter JP Sears (2-3) pitched five innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits with three strikeouts. Sears retired the first 10 batters he faced until Albies lined a one-handed single into left with one out in the fourth.

Manny Machado, who caught the Braves off-balance with a bunt single in the first inning, went back to the power game in the fourth when he smacked a hanging breaking ball for a home run and a 1-0 Padres lead. Machado’s 20th homer sailed 402 feet and just cleared the yellow line on the fence in left-center field.

The Braves took a 2-1 lead in the fifth. Harris hit his 18th home run, a 341-foot solo shot that just made it over the top of the brick wall in right field. Mauricio Dubon then reached on catcher’s interference and scored when Joey Bart lined a double into the left field corner.

Atlanta struck again in the sixth off reliever Wandy Peralta when Albies hit a solo homer, his 15th and first since July 3, for what would be the winning run.

–Field Level Media

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