Will He Stay Or Will He Go?

I wasn’t going to weigh in on Aaron Rodgers’ future until after the playoffs, but since the topic has been brought up multiple times in the past two weeks, I’ve decided to chime in. My guess, and it’s obviously only a guess, is that the greatest quarterback in the history of the Green Bay Packers will be throwing passes for another team next season.


This has been my opinion since the day in late August when it was announced that Rodgers had renegotiated his contract and would report to training camp with the rest of his teammates. The new deal voided the final year of Rodgers’ contract (2023) and essentially forced the Packers to either extend him or trade him after this season. By doing neither, general manager Brian Gutekunst would risk losing the future first-ballot Hall of Famer for a measly third-round compensatory pick. This scenario simply isn’t going to happen.

So Gutekunst will either give Rodgers an extension that will allow him to finish his career in Green Bay, or he’ll trade him for a package of high draft picks and maybe a good young player or two. But the choice won’t be his to make. Rodgers will be the one dictating what occurs – a power he acquired in last July’s negotiations.

Could Rodgers decide he wants to remain in Green Bay and sign a massive two or three-year extension? It’s possible. After all, he plays for the team with the best record in the league, and he’s talked for the past couple of months about how much he’s enjoying this season. He’s also talked about loving his coaches and teammates. Heck, he’s even said some nice things about Gutekunst, whom he reportedly referred to as “Jerry Krause” throughout the contentious offseason. Krause, of course, is the executive who’s blamed for prematurely ending the Chicago Bulls dynasty. So yes, sticking around is possible. I just don’t think it’s likely for one simple reason – Rodgers isn’t someone who forgives and forgets.

Rodgers never forgave former coach Mike McCarthy for not drafting him when he was in San Francisco. Never mind that McCarthy was the offensive coordinator and not the GM. Never mind that McCarthy helped develop him into the quarterback who would win a Super Bowl, be named MVP three times, and earn over $250 million. Rodgers still brought up the perceived snub – both publicly and reportedly privately – more than a decade into their relationship.

Rodgers has also never forgiven former teammate Greg Jennings for some critical comments he made after leaving the Packers in 2012. And while Rodgers had every right to be upset with his one-time favorite wide receiver at the time, most people would’ve gotten over it after eight years. But Rodgers isn’t most people, as Jennings explained in a recent interview:

“We don’t text, we don’t communicate like that,” Jennings said. “We haven’t had an official sit-down, like bring it all in for a hug, since I left Green Bay. … We had a great relationship [in Green Bay] … Our relationship now has been non-existent. I tried to reach out to refurbish it but haven’t had any success. The acceptance from his side has just not been there.”

And, of course, there’s his family. Rodgers has been estranged from his parents and his siblings for years. That’s his prerogative, and he may have every reason to be upset, but again, most people don’t possess the stomach to go to this extreme. Heck, I know somebody who reconciled with his parents after they embezzled thousands of dollars from his company.

The point is, Rodgers doesn’t forgive and forget. Once he feels wronged – even by his own family – he cuts the offenders out of his life and moves on. That’s why it’s so hard for me to imagine him reconciling with a front office he railed against all offseason and then took to task in a brutal 32-minute monologue at the start of training camp. Heck, he had more grievances with Gutekunst in the summer of 2021 than the Founding Fathers had with King George III in 1776.

I also remember something Adam Schefter said last spring. The ESPN reporter, who first broke the news of Rodgers’ unhappiness in Green Bay, opined that the star quarterback was tired of making Gutekunst and others – presumably team president Mark Murphy and executive vice president Russ Ball – look good. The clear inference being that the Packers would fall on hard times without Rodgers, and Gutekunst, Murphy, and Ball would be both blamed for the collapse and exposed as mere coattail riders. Again, I don’t know if this is true, but it certainly sounds feasible.


OK, even if all of this is true and Rodgers can’t stand the suits, why would he want to leave a team that makes the playoffs every year? You know, the old “grass isn’t always greener” proverb. Well, Rodgers probably thinks he’d have similar success wherever he’d go. And remember, he’d have a say in any trade. He’s not going to wind up with the Texans or the Jets. You can be sure that his next team would have a coach he approves of and enough talent to win right away.

As for alienating a fan base that’s worshipped him for 14 years? Packers fans forgave Brett Favre, who left on unimaginably bad terms in 2008. Not only did Favre bash his GM at the time (Ted Thompson), but he also tried to hurt his former team after leaving. Remember all those reports of him calling then-Lions GM Matt Millen and offering advice on how to beat Green Bay? Or how about his weaseling his way to the Vikings just so he could exact revenge? Despite this – not to mention accusations of sending dick pics to a young female reporter and sexually harassing two masseuses – Favre was given a hero’s welcome upon his return to Lambeau in 2015. Simply put, Rodgers’ legacy is more than secure.

Could I have it all wrong? Sure. Maybe Rodgers has realized how good he has it in Green Bay and will stay. Maybe at age 38, he’s learned to forgive and forget. Maybe the Packers will win the Super Bowl in February, and Rodgers will want to become only the eighth quarterback ever to capture back-to-back Lombardi Trophies. Anything is possible. That said, people don’t often change, especially people wired like Rodgers. My gut tells me he made up his mind about leaving when he agreed to that renegotiated contract, and despite all that’s happened since then, he’s never wavered about his future – a future I don’t think will be in Green Bay.

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Michael Rodney

Packers Notes is the creation of Michael Rodney, who has been writing about the Green Bay Packers for over 30 years. His first blog, Packer Update, hit the internet in 2004. Before becoming a public educator, Rodney worked as a journalist for a couple of newspapers in his home state of New Jersey and covered the Philadelphia Eagles for WTXF-TV. He's had numerous articles on the Packers published, and he's been featured on both television and radio over the years.

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Rick
Rick
January 15, 2022 12:32 pm

I can’t see Rodgers leaving if the Packers win the Super Bowl. He’s all about legacy and adding a third ring and going back-to-back would be hard to walk away from. Now all the Packers have to do is win that Super Bowl!

Carnegie
Carnegie
January 15, 2022 1:09 pm

Michael, you may be right about Rodgers. Rick above makes good points as well. The only comment I differ with is that Packer fans have forgiven Brett Favre. Many did. Many others like myself who would give their left nut out of love for this team cannot forgive Favre. It was one thing to have a personal vendetta against Ted and the front office. It’s a whole ‘nother thing to try to hurt the Packers. Pumping his arms over his head heading to the tunnel after beating the Pack at Lambeau in 2009 was a kick in the nuts to all of us who prayed for his family when his
Dad died, and when Deanna got cancer. We contributed to his foundation, and felt like family. Maybe that’s on us. I wish that just once Favre would have said, “I did what I felt I had to do, and I’m sorry the fans got caught in the middle of it.”
But those of us who still can’t stomach what he did were never going to be at Lambeau for his return ceremony. I am forever grateful to him for what he did to help bring the Pack back after 20+ years of futility. It was a beautiful time in my life. But I don’t forgive him for purposely conniving his way to the Vikings to settle a personal score, and scorched earthing everything else to do it. I hope Aaron stays. He is amazing. I do believe though, that if leaves, it will be handled much better. As Rick says above, go win that Super Bowl!

kelly resch
kelly resch
Reply to  Carnegie
January 15, 2022 3:20 pm

I feel the same way. I just dont think Rodgers wants to be the antagonist. He loves the love,but then again who knows? I think he’s going to San Fran straight up for Jimmy G. . Its not a popular idea,but its the only way Green Bay can move on without losing too much and Rodgers gets the chance he’s always waited for.

Keyser
Keyser
Reply to  Michael Rodney
January 18, 2022 9:13 pm

I thought it was disgusting that the Packers trotted Bart Starr out for Favre’s jersey retirement. The man suffered a massive stroke the year before, and clearly was a shell of his former self, and my opinion is that the organization only did that because they knew there was no way the fans at the stadium would or could boo Favre with Starr on the field. Using him, in the condition he was in, as a prop was pathetic. If they were that worried about Favre’s feelings, then don’t retire his damn number.

Bryan
Bryan
January 15, 2022 2:40 pm

I’m one who never forgave Brett. Appreciate the wins and the memories, but his actions on the way out of town were ridiculous at best and vile at worst.

Rodgers seems to be not as motivated by Super Bowls as he is MVPs and stats. Not to say he doesn’t want to win, but he talks regularly how important the MVP is to him. Time will tell.

One other thought, does 12 win these last two MVPs without Jordan Love being drafted? Lets say they picked someone else, is 12 as motivated to go on a rampage? It would be hard to call any first round pick wasted if it gets you two years of MVP caliber quarterback play.

joe
joe
January 16, 2022 8:37 am

It took awhile but I’ve chosen to remember what Favre did for the Packers instead of how it ended. His metal street sign and figurine out of the bedpan they resided in for a few years but they haven’t been displayed since.
Ultimately I’ve moved on but haven’t forgotten.

Pete Tittl
Pete Tittl
January 16, 2022 11:11 am

Gave away my Favre jersey after his antics. He can go suck eggs.

Jim
Jim
January 16, 2022 11:52 am

I liked Favre the player, but not Favre the person. I like Rodgers the player, but not the person. I think one can make such a distinction.

While I now think it is possible that Rodgers would like to stay, I’m not sure whether they can fit him into the salary cap situation without having to say goodbye to a number of players who would be key to another run next season. This could be a cone shot deal.

In terms of being concerned about leaving a championship team for a lesser team, I’d guess Rodgers believes he can take an average team and make them contenders. In the case of Denver, San Fran or even Washington, he may be right. These teams have good defenses and the offense needs a QB.

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