Well the biggest NFL story of the day no longer has anything to do with the draft. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is “so disgruntled,” that he has told some members of the organization “that he does not want to return to the team,” sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
The absolutely massive report comes just about an hour after word leaked that the 49ers had recently inquired about trading for Rodgers. That same report regarding the 49ers said there was a “zero percent chance” the Packers would be trading him, but it sounds like Rodgers might now be planning on forcing their hand.
All that being said, it doesn’t mean Rodgers is about to get dealt. In fact, the Packers and Rodgers have been “negotiating a long-term contract offer,” Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets. Rapsheet writes “they’ve been working on it for weeks,” and that Rodgers “has been unhappy at times during those moments.” He confirms that he’s “not happy now,” but his tone makes the situation sound more salvageable.
In a follow-up tweet, Rapoport reports that Rodgers had his agent Dave Dunn fly to Green Bay “for several days of meetings to work through the situation.” Rodgers refused a restructure, and said he wanted an extension. Teams then called about trades sensing he was unhappy, and Green Bay rebuffed those inquiries. They then went back and offered an extension, but haven’t been able to reach a deal.
Finally, Rapoport tweets that the Packers “remain committed” to Rodgers. “It’s all about getting an extension done… and if that happens, this should take care of the matter,” he writes. That sounds like it’s Green Bay’s perspective, while Schefter’s report makes it seem like Rodgers doesn’t necessarily feel the same way anymore. The matter is more about the 16-year veteran’s desire to leave Green Bay than it is about his contract, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer tweets.
Schefter writes that the team is “concerned” about Rodgers’ feelings, and that team president Mark Murphy, general manager Brian Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur have each flown “out on separate trips to meet with Rodgers at various points this offseason.”
Apparently those trips didn’t go all that well. Sources also told Schefter that the Packers have offered the reigning MVP an extension, which he obviously hasn’t accepted yet. That would of course be what Rapoport was referring to in his tweet. Meanwhile, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets the details on his current contract. If he was traded before June 1st, the Packers would incur over $31.5 in dead cap charges.
As such, don’t expect anything imminently. If it were done after June 1st, it would be a more modest $14.3MM in 2021, with more dead money in 2022 still. While it might sound unthinkable for things to have become so toxic with a player coming off an MVP season and back to back runs to the NFC Championship Game, the Packers did a lot to bring this on themselves.
They shocked everybody, including Rodgers, by drafting Jordan Love in the first-round last April. Schefter confirms that Rodgers not being informed in advance about the Love pick is one of the reasons he’s grown frustrated with the team. Although he responded with one of the best seasons of his career in 2020 it’s been clear something has been brewing beneath the surface, with his recent string of cryptic comments raising plenty of eyebrows.
Nobody knows what will happen next, and it’s far from a foregone conclusion that Rodgers won’t be with the Packers in 2021. He’s under contract through 2023 so Green Bay still has plenty of leverage, and it sounds like their top decision makers are making a real effort to patch things over.
However, it’s no longer deniable that there’s major trouble here. There was a report all the way back in January that many around the league believed Rodgers wanted out. Packers brass have consistently dismissed such speculation, but those denials are no longer realistic in the wake of Schefter’s report.
It’s been a wild day, and the draft hasn’t even started yet. Buckle up…
How much will Jeopardy pay him? Rogers going to the 49ers would turn the entire draft upside down…
bobg529 Packers have all the leverage. I doubt they have any desire to turn to Love this soon. They can keep Rodgers one more year or let him tarnish his legacy with an ugly tantrum sitting out the year.
The Niners can offer their #3 pick and Garopolo. That’s at least the start of a deal. The Packers could deal Love for a 3 pick probably. I can’t see it either, understand, but it’s sure interesting as hell.
“Ugly tantrum.” Rodgers would probably be just as happy with retiring and hosting Jeopardy than another season throwing the ball to Adams and then junk players.
Rodgers hosting Jeopardy is tantamount to Jeopardy being hosted by a paper sack. He’s so dull, dry, and lacking in any tangible intellectual tact, that he’s effectively the anti-Trebek. Trebek may have let his professional/seriousness rule most of the time, but at least a glimmer of personality would show through here and there; with Rodgers, it just doesn’t exist.
You’re in the definite minority there, hater. He has been by far the best guest host and the only one who has been able to banter with the guests. Watching Anderson Cooper um and uh his way through episodes lately has been miserable. Go away.
Are you nuts? Rodgers ego won’t let him retire. He won’t get nearly the press if he isn’t playing this year and this guy is all about himself and no one else. One of it not the biggest prima donna in the NFL today. All this guy cares about is how much $$$$$$ he will be making and nothing else. He stopped being a team player years ago.
@bob- I think you’re wrong. Without Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay is a bad football team. They’re not appealing to free agents whatsoever, so they have to draft well. Trading Rodgers nets them a boatload of picks. If Rodgers retires, they get nothing and stink.
Honestly, I don’t blame Rodgers. Instead of drafting him more help they draft his replacement?! What did they expect would happen? Lol
Very logical, but it really doesn’t fit the Green Bay model. That’s what makes me doubt it. To tell the truth I’ve never really been an Aaron Rodgers fan. He’s really good against mediocre teams, but let him play a tough opponent and he doesn’t show up. I know he’s won a Super Bowl, but I don’t think you’ll ever see him win another. Even if he WERE to wind up with the Niners.
Alex Trebeck was making 10 million per season.
Seems like 49ers are most logical fit
Raiders
I love you Aaron, just shut up and play.
Great so next time you’re unhappy at work I hope someone tells you to just “shut up and work”. The arrogance of some people thinking their opinion on somebody else’s life choices is somehow relevant or valid is hilarious.
I’d shut up and work if my boss guaranteed me money for x amount of years. That is not the case with a lot of jobs around the world.
Rodgers has done nothing but show up and play. He’s never let his off-field stuff become a real issue. He’s carried that miserable offense for years. Green Bay has made zero effort to improve their receivers. Jordan Love was a lame draft choice. Everyone knows it. I hope he does leave and GB suffers from years of a mediocre quarterback carousel.
Comments like these are just bulletin-board material for Love to prove they naysayers wrong.
What situation is he going to that’s going to be better than Green Bay, especially since the acquiring team would have to give up an unbelievable haul to get him.
Any team who traded for Rodgers would be willing to give him a receiver or two. So that’s already better than he’d get in Green Bay, for starters.
Adams has an argument to be considered the best WR in the game. Aaron Jones top 5-8 running back. Arguably best offensive line in football. Tonyan a great young tight end.
Miami. That was easy. They have multiple number ones for three years straight. So trading some of their picks won’t dent anything they do.
Hes making 22.8M, 25.5M, and 25.5M and that’s after a 57M signing bonus. So yea dude, shut up and play.
Manos….You mean just what you are doing to brewcrew? “The arrogance of some people thinking their opinion on somebody else’s life is somehow relevant or valid his hilarious”. So basically Brewcrew isn’t allowed to voice his opinion but it’s OK for you to do so? Been a hypocrite very long my man?
Your point is ridiculous He is under contract. A contract he signed willingly. Unless there is a clause stating they cannot draft a QB without his permission he needs to shut up and play. He is not being mistreated except how is giant ego perceived it. Stop trying to normalize his situation. If I was paid millions to play a game I would shut up and play. Green Bay is screwed though because they are what they have been for decades – a mediocre team with an all star QB carrying them. If he is gone, no top free agents will want to play for or live in Geen Bay.
Hey I agree he should just shut up and play. He is getting paid millions and millions to play a game. What comes around goes around. Hmm now he knows what Favre felt lol.
I’d love to know who these “sources” are. Besides Rodgers himself or his agent, no one is a very reputable source on an topic that has been buzzing for about a year…
Adam Shefter is quite reliable. If you followed him you would not be questioning his report or sources
The article clearly says that Schefter published this report after hearing about this from other “sources”, thus my query: who are these sources?
The source was when the coach made that bad call at the end of the playoff game. Everyone saw this coming after that. Compound it with the Love pick last year, and dude was obviously going to be looking to get out.
Probably that jealous agent from the commercials who carries Rodgers’ driftwood performances on his back.
38 year old getting 38, 40 28 million next 3 years . Only a team Rodgers away would trade for him . Teams with high draft pick don’t meet that criteria
If he really wants out, I’d imagine he’d need to renegotiate that contract and give back some dollars. There has to be LESS chance that he’s ever going to miss a meal than there is that he’ll finish his football career in Green Bay…
I think he’d be willing to do that. The reason Rodgers has been demanding with his money is the lack of commitment (financially in terms of guarantees and on the field in terms of roster build) the Packers have given him. Now, with him wanting out, the Packers have suddenly realized that they should have taken his complaints more seriously instead of pushing him off like some other player. They screwed up, both in managing their aging star who’s concerned about his wasted end of his career and in terms of fielding a competitive roster (of which that star is a part) to win a championship. Rodgers isn’t holding out just for money, like most of these other players who do. He’s frustrated by the Packers’ lack of commitment to winning and his distrust of them to try to do so before he drops off in terms of ability.
AK185 –
I don’t disagree with your points, but I must add that I feel Rodgers could have given this ultimatum MONTHS ago, when the team would have had a chance to field trade offers and study the players coming out in the draft. Rodgers waiting until today to announce this proves that he is an absolutely pathetic human being who does not give a crap about the Packers or any of the thousands of Packer fans who have given him every inch of their support and appreciation all these years. Screw you, Rodgers
Sounds like a plan being hatched by Rodgers. The Packers should wash their hands of him by trading him and his crying towel to the Jets.
Pretty sure he has a no-trade clause. So he has to approve wherever he goes, and he ain’t going to the Jets or any other sorry team like that.
If it wasn’t Schefter I’d laugh at this. But now I’m terrified again. Get an extension done.
I’m laughing because it is Schefter. That guy loves to stir the pot.
Bill Belichick has him on speed dial. Shanahan is flying to Aaron’s house as we speak.
“I’ll take Black & Gold for $1000 Aaron.”
I’d send him home for couch patrol until he is released with zero cap penalties.
I’m sure if Rodgers has his way, he plays the rest of his career in SF and travels down to Culver City to do Jeopardy tapings. He’s by far the best guest host of the show so far.
Literally zero chance he gets that job.
And I have to assume this is his agent’s coffee boy’s burner account based on that statement.
This would make more sense as to why the 49ers traded their first round pick this year, only 9 spots lower where they likely could have still gotten comparable talent as they would at 3, plus two more first round picks, and more. Aside from Trevor Lawrence, who they aren’t getting, none of the other QBs in this draft are worth that steep of a price. It never made any sense to me other than being a strategic move for more draft picks, and being able to unload the ridiculous JG contract onto someone else, or to position themselves to negotiate a trade for another big name currently starting QB.
Before the fallout in Houston, I suspected it was for Watson. Rodgers makes a lot more sense, and we all know that’s where he wanted to be drafted to in the first place. This should be very interesting.
Popcorn’s popping early.
I can’t see Green Bay wanting the #3 overall pick though. They already have their QB of the future in Love, so the Packers wouldn’t be looking to select a QB at that spot. And the other players who were rumored to be selected in the #3-7 range (Pitts, Sewell, Slater, etc.) aren’t very good value picks in that spot. You could make the case that GB could select Chase there, though, but I doubt that would be the move…
Jimmy G+ 3rd pick. Packers will have to flip those picks if they want to recoup what they would have originally received
I’m envisioning Rodgers to SF for what you listed, then flipping Jordan Love to New England for a couple picks. None of this will happen but I’d love it if it did.
Straight up for Jimmy G?
Why on earth would the Packers do that?
Aaron Rodgers is one of the worst human beings on the face of the earth. He waits until the day of the draft to announce this? Thanks for giving the Packers a chance to field trade offers and study the upcoming draft picks. Thanks a lot. What a childish, warped mentality that piece of garbage has. He obviously held this in until today to screw the Packers over as much as he possibly could. Rodgers is now my least favorite athlete of ALL TIME from any sport. I don’t care how upset he is with the team, what about all the thousands of fans who have bought your jersey, cheered you on, and adored you? You are a pathetic man, Mr. Rodgers
Apparently it is being reported now that the Packers told him they would trade him early in the off season and apparently they decided not to trade him after all. Does not sound like he just dumped this on him. Sounds more like the Pack reneged on the promise to trade him.
That’s preposterous. All reports that have been made have indicated that Rodgers is the man in GB for the foreseeable future.
Hey, never said it was true but it is being reported… ya never know.
Is this what it takes to be the worst human being on the face of the earth? Might want to check your priorities there, Captain Hot Take.
And I don’t see what Rodgers owes the Packers, after they’ve treated him like rented mule. Commitment should go both ways.
Seems Aaron the Ego is all stressed out. Maybe a couple of dozen massages will convince him there are worse places to be than in Green Bay.
I cannot wait until Rodgers finally leaves Green Bay and all the whiny, ungrateful Packers fans have to suffer through terrible QBs and missing the playoffs constantly like other fans have had to endure. 30 year run of Hall of Fame QB play (counting Favre) and they can’t run Rodgers out of town fast enough or criticize him enough. It’s like they have a nostalgic pang for the 80s and garbage like Don Majkowski.
Rogers does not need money at this point in his career. He does not have to play a down anymore and still have more money than a lot of us would have even if we added up all or our current life savings. Must have had some discussions about taking over Jeopardy! So it would make sense that he wants to be as close to the west coast as possible so he could tape episodes and still play. He will get paid some nice money to just host and not play any longer.
The Packers just took a QB in the first round. They shouldn’t act so shocked.
Packers went 13-3 and lost in the NFC Championship game and that’s not good enough? Ship his candy ass to Jacksonville
Packers will go 6-10 next year without Rodgers. He could have the most candiest of asses but if you’re a Packers fan, you shut your dumb mouth and enjoy one of the best QBs in NFL history while you still can.
If I was the Packers I would take the whiners 3rd pick and JimmyG the flip JimmyG to the pats for their fist rounder…. Win Win Win
And then trade back from #3 and have 6 first rounders at the end of the night.
Come in Arod, wait till next text to demand a tread so Ben retires and you come ball out in the burgh!! I mean I could dream, but I would give up what it takes considering he says he wants to to play till 40-s and I think he could handle that.
Such a spoiled athlete. He’s just upset cuz packers got someone to play in case he gets hurt or retired. It’s not like he’s 20….I mean, come on…..be a professional, sir.
all rodgers want is to win. packers brass sought control over championship.
Shefter has been wrong – a lot – over the years. Many examples, the most recent was when he reported that Cam Newton and the Patriots had “agreed to part ways” when the season was done. Belichick immediately said that was wrong, and obviously there was no such agreement or even a conversation about Newton “parting ways” with the team. Don’t believe everything you read.
So, what was Rodgers’ plan yesterday?
Leak this to the media and hope the Packers panic and trade him with only a few hours before the draft with no possible way to field legitimate offers on the scale needed to trade him?
That is a dumb guy’s idea of a smart plan.
Give them even 24 hours more and they might have been able to move him.
Realistically, as good as he is, if Rashard Mendenhall doesn’t fumble, Rodgers might have zero rings right now.
Packers should bite the bullet, trade him for as much as they can (his value will never be higher again) and build around Love. Make the right deal and they can blanket Love with great pieces around him and make the playoffs for another decade.