"It was a little surprising” - When Aaron Rodgers opened up on the Packers trading Davante Adams to Raiders
NFL veteran Aaron Rodgers left Davante Adams and the Green Bay Packers after 18 seasons. Rumors of his departure were circulating, especially as his relationship with coach Matt LaFleur and the management soured. However, the biggest blow came when the Packers traded his favorite target, Adams.
The Packers fanbase, along with Rodgers himself, was shocked. On The Pat McAfee Show in April 2022, Rodgers opened up about the trade:
“It was a little surprising with Davante — obviously, when I made my decision, I was still thinking he was going to come back.”
Rodgers and Adams had stellar performances the previous season, with Rodgers winning his fourth NFL MVP award and Adams setting career highs while earning another All-Pro selection.
As a result, Rodgers signed a massive three-year, $150 million contract, while Adams also secured a lucrative deal. The two shared a strong bond off the field and had great respect for each other, which is why Rodgers wanted Adams to stay. Rodgers added:
“I was very honest with him about my plans, my future, and how many years I wanted to play. But I felt like he was going to be back. It obviously didn’t turn out that way.”
Davante Adams reveals the reason behind his departure
Adams, though, was uncertain about the Packers’ quarterback situation after they drafted Jordan Love. He sought clarification from the management but eventually declined their offer, as he didn't fully trust Love as the Packers' future quarterback.
In an interview with former teammate Maxx Crosby, Adams explained:
“At the time when I was there, I hadn’t seen enough (of Love) to say for sure, ‘This is what I should do (stay with the Packers).’”
Despite receiving a massive offer from the Packers, Adams requested to be released. He was subsequently traded to the Las Vegas Raiders, who signed him in a five-year, $141.25 million deal. In exchange, the Packers received two draft picks in the 2022 NFL Draft.
In a previous interview, Davante Adams admitted that the Packers had offered him a bigger contract, but he chose to accept the trade to spend more time with his family. Rodgers and Adams eventually reunited at the New York Jets, but their time together was short-lived, as both got released by the team.