Aaron Rodgers was vague about his future when appearing on SportsCenter over the weekend, and during a Monday appearance on the ‘Pat McAfee Show,’ he elaborated more on his situation with the Packers (Twitter video link).
Rodgers certainly didn’t sound like someone expecting to be a Packer for life, saying “my future, is really, a lot of it’s out of my control.” He added that it’s “quite uncertain which directions things are going to go.” Any eyebrows that weren’t already raised around the league certainly are now.
“All I can do is play my best and I feel like last year I did do that,” the reigning NFL MVP explained. The real kicker came next, when Rodgers said he “may have thrown a wrench into some timelines that may have been thought about or desired” with his stellar 2020 season.
He clearly was referring to the fact that Packers brass drafted Jordan Love in the first-round in 2020, and may have been planning to put him out to pasture sooner rather than later. His dominant campaign and run to the NFC Championship Game obviously made things a lot more difficult for Green Bay.
Rodgers is reportedly seeking a new contract this offseason, and some rival execs and coaches think he wants a fresh start elsewhere. The Rams apparently made a push for Rodgers before dealing for Matthew Stafford, although the Packers have insisted for now that he isn’t available. Interestingly Rodgers said the adjustments he made to his mentality and general life outlook, which he’s discussed heavily over the past year, happened before the drafting of Love.
“The change was before that. The perspective adjustments and the course corrections with my own life, personal life, headspace,” all came prior to that, and “the draft was just an opportunity for those to play out in real time where I had an opportunity to respond using the tools that I’ve tried to cultivate and the habits I was trying to form and adjust in real time. And so I got a great opportunity to show where I was at mentally and to grow and to just be myself.”
Rodgers seems content not knowing if he’ll be in Green Bay long-term, and it’s a very interesting dynamic for a team with Super Bowl aspirations to have coming off a 13-3 season. Things could come to a head sometime in the near future, but for now all we’ve got is cryptic comments.
Chicago bears 2022
Haha no chance In that. He wants to win wherever he goes next.
I’ve been sayin it for years, he’s goin to end his career in Chicago, the only place to rub a wild amount of salt in his Green Bay departure
So he’s gonna make himself suffer just to stick it to the Packers? Not buying it. He’s gonna go somewhere where he has a legit chance to win a Super Bowl. That would hurt the Packers way more than watching him play for a non-playoff team…no matter who it is.
Agreed. No better way to illustrate how Green Bay has wasted his career than by going somewhere else and winning a championship (or possibly more). The fit would be important, of course, but there are a handful of teams that suddenly be contenders with Rodgers.
I’m not saying that he ends in these places, I’m not, but right now Denver and Washington could become contenders with Rodgers. These examples will of course likely be different in the future as the NFL changes. Both have coaching staffs that will let him command the offense, and both have good defenses. Washington is in an easy division and Denver, while in a much tougher one, has much better and younger weapons.
Those are just examples, and again, I’m not saying that Rodgers goes there. Just pointing out that he could pick a certain team and, even if he doesn’t win a title, the team would support him more than Green Bay has. Even if Rodgers doesn’t win another title, he’ll want to go somewhere that makes him feel like it’s trying to as well.
I can only laugh when I hear fans saying the Packers have never given Rodgers support. They had double digit wins 8 times the past decade. How do you manage that without putting strong supporting talent on the roster? If Rodgers had played in Chicago he would really learn what a lack of support looks like.
…because they haven’t? A HoF QB is worth 8 wins a year. Rodgers hasn’t had two good receivers since Jordy Nelson left (re:the Packers dumped him) and he was just above average his final year. People are always dragging out that tired argument that Brady has never had anyone to throw to-well, the Patriots put in more effort giving him weapons than the Packers have ever done for Rodgers.
How long has it been since he had three good receivers? 2012, 2013? Seven years ago, with Driver, Jennings, and Nelson? Right now, and for the last few years, they’ve had Adams and nobody, and have come just short. They just needed a piece or two, and it’s obvious what those pieces were, and Green Bay still didn’t address them. I mean, why in God’s name would you as a team INTENTIONALLY refuse to draft a wide receiver with a quality pick, knowing you needed one badly? At least Belichick tried by spending a 1st on Harry, even though he clearly didn’t want to. It didn’t have to be a receiver. Shoot, they could have drafted a quality ILB/MLB and it would’ve helped. Anyone who actually played last year would have helped.
More money for him means less quality players around him
Rodgers is the only thing keeping the franchise relevant. He earned every last cent he is guaranteed. Packers don’t deserve a paycut from him. They never go above and beyond to give him weapons. Instead they draft backup QBs and RBs with with highest picks and refuse to ever trade for a top WR when available.
Lol “relevant”.
Man they said the same crap when favre was our QB. Clown comment.
…except everything in that”clown” comment is demonstrably true. Unless you missed the 2019 draft.
Packer fans really think it’s easy to find a superstar QB just because they have had ones for 25 years now. Hate to break it to you but banking on Love to be next in line is far from a guarantee. Packers have had games without Rodgers over the years. They stink without him and will once he goes.
Oooh dude if Love is a bust, lol the Go Pack Go saying: their all gonna want Love to Go Go Go. Haha
You’re just hilarious. Very clever.
Love is a Turd
That’s a colossal clown comment if I ever heard one. The Packers have been relevant for 28 years now. They know how to develop quarterbacks.
Just asking if Rodgers ever reworked his contract to save team money to sign players to help him?
No, and GB didn’t take advantage of their ability to convert salary dollars into signing bonus or whatever, without even having to ask his permission or he sign anything, so why is any of the cap issue his fault?
His high salary doesn’t allow for the cap room to go out and get other players he wants. He doesn’t seem to be that much of a team player, just looking out for Aaron.
Again, management had the ability to rework his contract to free up more money without his consent, signature or any involvement whatsoever, and they didn’t. Thats on them, not him.
It makes zero sense that they didn’t, but for some reason nobody is asking why, or even mentioning that it could have been done.
Why?
I believe they need the players consent to rework contract.
Not according to the story I read. It wasn’t changing his income in any way, other than how it was paid out. As in the term “salary” changed to “signing bonus”
Perhaps I misinterpreted something but I’m positive the article stated they did not need his approval, signature or anything in order to do this.
Because we already have the second highest cap number in the league for 2022 and fifth highest for 2023. On top of that we have Adams is going to have to be resigned and we need to pick up the fifth year option on our top notch cornerback which will be a big hit. For supposedly not surrounding him with good players our salary cap numbers are sure high enough. I’m guessing this will be his last year in GB even though he is contracted for 3 more years. If he has another year like this one we should get a decent haul when we trade him as he’s probably going to play until he’s 45. I don’t think we’d trade him within the division so don’t hold your breath bears fans!
Average salary on that contract is less than Dak Prescott. Who is giving better value?
Alec Kinnear –
Dude…Prescott JUST SIGNED that contract. You are aware of how contracts escalate in the NFL, aren’t you?? Of course Prescott is getting paid more…and the next decent QB to get a new contract will get more than Prescott. That’s how today’s NFL works buddy. Also, how are you judging what value Prescott is providing on this contract when he hasn’t even played a down since he signed it?
You’re under contract for 3 more years Aaron. Please just stop. Worry about winning your 2nd ring, I would love to see that.
The Packers are the ones who started this whole thing by drafting Love. They could have drafted defense or even a WR or something and would have been serious SB contenders. Instead, they wasted their first rounder on a QB when they already had one and then wasted their second rounder on an RB when they already had one. They’re so lucky Rodgers is amazing because they had the worst draft in the league last year, imo.
From the outside it appears that Rodgers is the only one in that organization worried about winning a ring.
How so?
Well, if my team is game away from the championship with a gaping need at receiver and middle linebacker, I’d at least draft one in the upcoming offseason.
They did not draft a single starter after that year. Dillon was the only one who played, as a third stringer, and only late in the year. That doesn’t say “we’re trying to win a Super Bowl” to me.
He wants to be the permanent jeopardy host imo.
Rodgers on Rams would have been game changing. Top 5 defense something he has never had.
Not true. In 2010, they had a top five defense (#2 in points, #5 in yards) and won the Super Bowl.
Patriots in 2022
Bucs more likely. Belichick not paying that for a qb
“The Rams made a push…” LOL
“Hello, Brian Gutekunst is Aaron Rodgers available?” Brian: No, Hell no.
That was some “push”.
You know this is blown out of proportion. Love has two more years to learn under Rodgers. That is the whole problem with NFL is these teams rush for these guys to play. It worked with Favre and Rodgers situation to let them just learn a couple years behind the starters
He will end up in Denver in the next year or two
I’d bet on San Francisco, LA, or Vegas (maybe Seattle?) if he goes anywhere in the next couple of years other than staying in GB.
Just move on already. We have had enough about this overrated crybaby. He is a Cancer on a team.
Rodgers is hardly a cancer. He is an intellectual QB who views the game from a wider view than most players. He is a winner, a great competitor and way more than just a football player. The real villians are the Packers front office. The Packers needed a sideline to sideline MLB, an edge rusher, a TE and another WR. The FO didn’t draft anyone to fill the positions inspite of quality available. They never go for big FA. Rodgers wins despite this.
Hey Packers Front Office…..
Jordan Love Sucks!!!!!
You seen him in practice?
You know that how?
Already working on his next gig, but it may put him in jeopardy.