April 23, 2005 – March 15, 2023.
The day Aaron Rodgers fell into Ted Thompson and the Green Bay Packers’ lap to the day the Super Bowl-winning, four-time National Football League Most Valuable Player left no doubt the longest-tenured player in the 100-plus year history of the franchise will be a Packer no more.
In an hour-long visit on the Pat McAfee show, Rodgers explained how the “bittersweet” end came to be.
I’ll admit, it was the first and only time I watched Rodgers’ appearance live start to finish. The countless visits over the last few years with McAfee, the former NFL Punter, YouTube, internet, muscle shirt host proved to be the quarterback’s unfiltered sounding board on all things football, philosophy and life.
That was certainly the case today.
Rodgers made it clear, he wants to keep playing in 2023 and perhaps, beyond, but his desire is to continue this Hall of Fame-bound career with the New York Jets.
Aaron, via zoom from Southern California, detailed how he came to this conclusion. It was one year ago today Rodgers signed a three-year, $150 million contract extension with the Packers, delaying what he realized was the inevitable succession to Jordan Love at quarterback. When the injury-filled, 8-9 playoff-missing season ended after a loss to the Detroit Lions in January, Rodgers stayed in town through the following week. During that time, he met with Head Coach Matt LaFleur and General Manager Brian Gutekunst who both told him to take as much time as he needed to contemplate if and how he might want to finish the final two years of the deal that made him (for the second time in his career), the highest paid quarterback in football.
Rodgers said he wished management would have come right out at that point to tell him “we’re moving on” and thanks for everything you’ve done for the organization. He knew this moment was coming but he had hoped to be the one to decide when. He told reporters after the Detroit game he wasn’t going “to hold the team hostage” over his future deliberations but was going to need time.
That time included his celebrated, four-day isolation and darkness retreat in the Oregon hills last month.
Rodgers told McAfee when he began his retreat, he was 90% leaning toward retirement but when he re-emerged, “something changed.” He learned the Packers might be shopping the quarterback who started the past 13 years. It was then he knew there would be no going back. Only one team stepped forward and the Packers granted the New York Jets permission to talk with Rodgers. Owner Woody Johnson, GM Joe Douglas, Head Coach Robert Saleh and newly hired Offensive Coordinator Nathaniel Hackett all flew out to California for a face-to-face meeting. It went well enough for Rodgers to declare today, “my intention is to play with the Jets.”
He indicated the only thing holding up the trade is the Packers haven’t agreed to compensation from New York in return, be it draft picks, players and contract obligations.
Rodgers insists he’s not upset about the end of his 18-year run, it’s just been a bittersweet end to the run.
Thompson drafted Rodgers with the 24th pick in 2005, his first year as General Manager who had just hired a new Head Coach in Mike McCarthy. Bob Harlan, one of Aaron’s all-time favorites, was still president of the franchise. Jon Schneider, Reggie McKenzie, John Dorsey and Eliot Wolf, who all became NFL GM’s or front office executives for other teams, rounded out the football operations staff when he entered the league. Mark Murphy became president in 2007, Thompson eventually retired and sadly passed away, succeeded by Brian Gutekunst. Russ Ball rose to the rank of Executive Vice-President of Football Operations in charge of contracts. A new regime that just like Thompson in 2005, was looking toward the future in 2020 when it took the bold step of drafting a quarterback with an iconic starter already at the controls.
Rodgers admits the succession plan was put on hold as he won back-to-back MVP’s in 2020 and 2021 and was really hoping he could finish his career in Green Bay. The team made the huge financial commitment to Rodgers and restructured dozens of veteran contracts to meet salary cap obligations but the team was taking regressive steps even with Rodgers at the helm over the past four years. From an NFC Championship game loss in LaFleur’s first season, to falling a step short of the Super Bowl with a conference title game loss at home, failing in the Divisional Round in Green Bay as the number one seed and missing the playoffs altogether despite a win and get in game at Lambeau Field, even Rodgers was feeling the vibe from upstairs.
He told McAfee after this year’s exit sessions with LaFleur and Gutekunst, he left Green Bay about 8 days after the season feeling “like that was it.”
Rodgers was amused by how this off-season has been reported, dismissing the suggestion Hackett was hired by the Jets simply as a lure. Aaron felt that was a slap to Hackett who he calls one of the best coaches he’s ever worked for. Reports of Rodgers giving the Jets his wish list of players to sign if he indeed comes to New York was considered silly, even though Allen Lazard has already agreed to a free-agent deal.
Rodgers spoke at length about his appreciation and love for the city of Green Bay, its fans, and those he remains close within the organization. Nearly half his life was spent in Green Bay, relationships he’ll keep forever. He also understands the nature of his profession. He’s not upset by the team’s desire to move on without him, the cold reality of the business, especially with older players whose treatment by the Packers did irk him in the past, has now come to him making it all bittersweet.
He signed off by wishing nothing but the best for the Packers, Packer fans and friends adding now it’s time to have this separation done and get on with our lives.
It’s been a remarkable 18-year run, even more remarkable how circular it’s been for the franchise for 30 years. 13 years a starter and here comes a first-round pick at quarterback. A 3-year apprenticeship and a passing of the torch with a trade involving the New York Jets. It happened with Brett Favre. He arrived in 1992. Rodgers was drafted in 2005. Favre was traded in 2008. Love was drafted in 2020. Now Rodgers wants to and ultimately will be dealt.
