Why Retired Quarterback Rejected Jets After New York Reached Out

Chad Henne, much like Tom Brady, appears to be content in retirement.

Henne closed the book on his 15-year NFL career shortly after his fifth and final season in Kansas City, which concluded with the quarterback’s second Super Bowl win as Patrick Mahomes’ backup. But roughly seven months after his retirement announcement, a QB-team needy team came calling.

The 38-year-old and Colt McCoy were the only two veteran signal-callers the Jets reached out to after Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. New York pitched a backup role — not a starting position — to both quarterbacks, but a move to the Meadowlands would have allowed Henne the opportunity to reunite with Nathaniel Hackett. Hackett and Henne worked together for three seasons in Jacksonville, and their rapport potentially could have paid dividends in the event Zach Wilson flamed out (again).

But after talking with the folks in Florham Park, Henne elected to stay retired. The 2008 second-round pick simply told Russini the timing didn’t work.

So for now, sixth-year pro Tim Boyle will be Wilson’s understudy in New York while Rodgers embarks on recovery from surgery. The Jets’ new-look quarterback situation will be on display Sunday when Wilson leads Gang Green into Dallas for a Week 2 matchup with the Cowboys.