If the New York Jets were pursuing quarterback Dak Prescott as a potential successor to Aaron Rodgers, those plans went up in smoke on Sunday.

The Dallas Cowboys starter agreed to a new four-year deal worth $240 million, including $231 million in guaranteed money and an $80 million signing bonus, the largest ever.

According to NFL.com, he will be paid $39 million more than any QB will make over the next five years.

It’s a steep price to pay for the Cowboys, who just made wide receiver CeeDee Lamb one of the highest-paid players at his position. But it was one the Cowboys were willing to pay to secure the position — and to keep potential suitors at bay.

Prescott could have hit the open market next season without a new contract.

Earlier this week, Bleacher Report analyzed Prescott as a free agent and named the Jets as a potential suitor if he were to hit the market.

Why? Well, New York’s starting quarterback turns 41 next season, and he’ll play his first game Monday night since tearing his Achilles tendon last year.

The article reasoned that if Rodgers fails to be his Pro Bowl self this season and the Jets miss the playoffs again, it could spell the end for coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas, the latter of whom is in the final year of his contract.

In that scenario, the Jets might just blow the whole thing up.

Rodgers’ contract played a role in that analysis. He signed what is essentially a two-year, $75 million contract before the 2023 season that will run him through the 2024 season. Technically, it’s a five-year deal to help the Jets manage the impact of the salary cap, according to NFL.com.

According to Spotrac, Rodgers has a $35 million option bonus in 2025, along with $2.5 million in base salary, $7 million in signing proration and $14 million in bonus proration. His cap hit would be $23.5 million. The deal automatically expires the following season.

None of this takes into account what happens if Rodgers decides to retire after this season. The Jets have made it clear that this is an “all-in” season for the organization. The expectation is a playoff berth and a possible trip to the Super Bowl.

What if Rodgers gets hurt again, hurt badly enough that he doesn’t want to spend another year rehabbing? There were a lot of factors that fueled the idea that the Jets were looking at Prescott.

Those ideas are nonsense, whether they were realistic or not.