The New York Jets recently made the decision to release journeyman cornerback Tae Hayes. The team’s action came just one day after Hayes was arrested in Alabama for possession of marijuana. Now a free agent once again, Hayes will be looking for his seventh team in five years.
Releasing Hayes, who has struggled to stick on an NFL roster for the duration of his career, may have been a decision that the team would have made anyway. However, the timing of his release (that is, following his arrest on drug-related charges) has raised a great deal of eyebrows considering the self-proclaimed substance habits of their star quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.
New York Jets Quarterback Aaron Rodgers Is Open about His Use of Psychedelic Drugs
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Joe Biden
Dec 3, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) watches warm ups before a game against the Atlanta Falcons at MetLife Stadium.
Over the past few seasons, Rodgers has been very open about his use of psychedelic drugs, particularly ayahuasca, a drug that he travels abroad to take. Back in 2022, Rodgers told “The Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that his first retreat and experience with the drug gave him “a deep and meaningful appreciation for life” and “I came back and knew I was never going to be the same.”
At the time of his statement to Marcus, Rodgers had already been on a handful of ayahuasca retreats and credited what he learned about himself during them to his NFL MVP performance in 2021.
Such a retreat is also the rumored reason the future Hall of Fame quarterback missed mandatory minicamp earlier this month, though neither Rodgers nor the Jets have confirmed this rumor.
NFL Fans Call Out New York Jets Quarterback Aaron Rodgers After Tae Hayes Was Released
New York Jets, Aaron Rodgers
Jul 31, 2023; Florham Park, NY, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) participates in drills during the New York Jets Training Camp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center.
When Rodgers admitted to his drug use in 2022, the NFL decided that it would not penalize him because he would not test positive on a drug test.
The NFL has also recently done away with suspending players for testing positive for marijuana.
These two facts led many fans to react to the news of Hayes’ release in a rather expected way:
As mentioned, Hayes was most likely going to get released by the Jets anyway. Rodgers, on the other hand, is New York’s perceived savior who will hopefully lead them back to the NFL Playoffs for the first time since 2010.