Aaron Rodgers $3,000,000 State Farm partnership ends as Jets QB's portfolio takes further hit after $35M pay cut
It’s win or bust for Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets.
With a talented roster around him, the four-time NFL Most Valuable Player is expected to give the team a shot at entering the playoffs. In doing so, he agreed to a restructured contract, reducing his cap hit and base salaries.
His two-year, $75 million deal will help the Jets acquire more pieces to bolster their ranks. However, as Rodgers helped New York save $35 million of cap space over five years, he is set to lose one of his major endorsements.
Aaron Rodgers and State Farm part ways
Football fans won’t see the one-time Super Bowl winner do the Discount Double Check move in State Farm commercials anymore. For those who don’t know, it’s the move wherein Rodgers gestures of having a championship belt whenever he scores a rushing touchdown.
His endorsement of the insurance company ended during last year’s NFL playoffs. State Farm did not air a commercial during Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles.
A State Farm spokesperson confirmed the end of their partnership with Rodgers via email to Sportico’s Kurt Badenhausen. The five-time All-Pro appeared in his first commercial for the company in 2011, wherein the Discount Double Check became his patented move.
It was a lucrative deal for Aaron Rodgers, as estimates showed he earned around $3 million annually from the State Farm commercials.
The beginning of the end of Rodgers’ marketing relationship with the company occurred when his anti-vaccine stance became public. He said in a 2021 appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show":
“I’m not some sort of anti-vax flat-earther. I’m somebody who’s a critical thinker. I march to the beat of my own drum. I believe strongly in bodily autonomy.”
Despite those statements, State Farm stuck with Rodgers, a decision that received criticism and approval. A year later, he appeared in another round of State Farm commercials. Unfortunately, it turned out to be his last appearance for the brand.
Another State Farm spokesperson shared with Sportico:
“Aaron Rodgers has been a great ambassador for our company for much of the past decade. We don’t support some of the statements that he has made, but we respect his right to have his own personal point of view.”
Aaron Rodgers' business portfolio explored
While the former University of California Berkeley standout won’t appear in State Farm commercials anymore, he will still pull in a ton of money. The signing bonus from his restructured contract will put his career earnings past Tom Brady’s $332.9 million.
Meanwhile, Rodgers can still earn millions from his existing sponsorships and licensing his name, image, and likeness to other brands.
The 10-time Pro Bowler is a minority owner of the Milwaukee Bucks. He is also crowdfunding $1.5 million for Online Sports Database, which co-founder Ryan Rottman described as the "IMDb of sports." The campaign has initially raised $3.5 million.
Rodgers is also a co-founder of venture capital firm RX3 Growth Partners. They have invested in companies like Manscaped, Therabody, and Full Swing.
With Aaron Rodgers out of the picture, Patrick Mahomes will be State Farm’s prominent endorser moving forward.