"I can definitely see the end coming" - Aaron Rodgers reveals that he's contemplating retirement all the time
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is still in the prime of his NFL career. The superstar is yet to add to his sole Super Bowl win in 2011, but he has won back-to-back MVP awards and will be among the favorites to claim the award yet again in 2022.
His performances over the past two seasons suggest that he'll continue to add new chapters to his already storied career, but the quarterback himself has revealed that his career may be coming to an end soon.
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While discussing his future after his triumph in The Match on Wednesday, Rodgers said:
"“I think about it (retirement) all the time. When you commit, you’re 100 percent. But the older you get, the interests change, and the grind, I think, wears on you a little more.”
The 38-year-old quarterback added:
“The football part is the easy part. That’s the joy. It’s the other stuff that wears on you and makes you think about life after football. Tommy obviously set the bar so high with playing so many years, but I can definitely see the end coming.”
The quarterback contemplated retirement after the 2020 NFL season but returned for another run at the Super Bowl in 2021. Unfortunately for him, the Packers fell well short and lost a close divisional game in the snow against the San Francisco 49ers.
Jordan Love to exercise patience as Aaron Rodgers looks for a second Super Bowl win
The consecutive league MVP signed a three-year extension in March and will be on the Green Bay Packers' books until 2026. However, the contract is team-friendly and if the quarterback decides to retire before 2026, the Packers will be in decent shape cap-wise.
The Packers drafted Jordan Love in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft to be their long-term solution at quarterback. Rodgers' extension makes matters tricky for the franchise as the longer the veteran quarterback extends his career, the more Love's potential and trade value diminishes.
But it could be a case of deja vu for the Packers, who retained Rodgers as Brett Favre's backup for three seasons before handing the offense over to him. Love is entering his third NFL season in 2022 and will likely wait in the wings for another year.
If Rodgers commits to playing his entire contract, the future for the 2020 first-round pick is less clear. He might want a move to showcase what he's capable of and earn a long-term extension elsewhere.
We shall see how that situation develops over time. More pressing is the encroaching 2022 season and whether Green Bay can mount a Super Bowl challenge with their superstar quarterback under centre.