Brett Favre admits he has been “shocked” by Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets’ shortcomings this season, but the Hall of Famer does not believe his former teammate is ready to retire.

The Jets have slumped to 3-8 on the year after entering with expectations of making a playoff run. Rodgers has been deeply underwhelming in the process, and he has nowhere left to hide after the respective mid-season firings of head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas.

The Jets likely need to run the table and win each of their remaining six games if they are to make the playoffs, but they have shown no signs of being consistent enough to put a run together.

Green Bay Packers icon Favre, who played with Rodgers for three years at Lambeau Field before the latter ascended to the starting job, admits his former teammate’s struggles have caught him off guard.

“I’ll have to admit I am as shocked as anyone because I was singing the praises of the team and, of course, Aaron. At times, we’ve seen old Aaron, he told TMZ. “I don’t know how he feels physically and I don’t know if that’s an issue.

“But something is missing. Their defense is good and you can’t complain about the talent pool they brought in. I think they’re very talented on offense, just something’s not right – something’s missing.

Favre believes his former backup will not want to end his career like this

Favre believes his former backup will not want to end his career like this ( 

Image:

Getty Images)

“They’re not out of it yet so you can’t rule them out. If they get hot and Aaron plays the way we expect him to play, who knows? But right now, they have certainly laid an egg.”

Rodgers’ statistics in a vacuum are relatively impressive, with 17 touchdowns against seven interceptions, but he has come up small in the big moments – something that was not true of his time in Wisconsin. He may still be feeling the after-effects of his devastating Achilles injury that wrecked his debut season with the Jets last year after just four snaps.

Former Jets QB Favre believes Rodgers, who turns 41 next month, will be desperate to end his career on a high rather than the bitter disappointments of the past two seasons.

He explained: “What I know about Aaron is he is an ultra-competitor and nobody wants to go out either injured like he did last year or by playing the way he and the team has this year up to this point. It’s been a disappointment.

“There’s a little time to right the ship, but they better hurry. If they do, and they make a run, maybe he walks away. I just find it hard to believe that a competitor of the magnitude that Aaron has been over the years would go out that way if it ended today.”