"Unless they trade me" - Aaron Rodgers brushes off rumours of him leaving Green Bay
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said on Tuesday (7 June) that he will retire as a Green Bay Packer. The quarterback spoke to the media confirming he wants to end his career in Green Bay and stated that only one thing could keep him from doing so:
"Unless they trade me," he said.
The 38-year-old added that he's not sure when his retirement will be, but that he will evaluate things after the season:
"The playing is easy. That's the easy part. It's the other part that's a grind ... It seems like a slightly bigger commitment to come up to being the guy again in another season."
Aaron Rodgers went on to say:
"Obviously I don't want be a bum standing back there playing like crap and not able to move around, so if the talent goes, it's a no-brainer, but it's a little harder when you still can really play and the mental part is difficult."
He continued:
"This is my 18th season. Of course you think about the next chapter and what’s next in your life all the time. It doesn’t mean you’re not fully invested."
Rodgers concluded:
"When I said I’m back, I’m 100 percent invested, and Matt (LaFleur) and I keep in touch all the time, and Tom and the young quarterbacks, and when I’m here, I’m all in, and those guys know that. They know what to expect from me, the type of play, the type of leadership, and that’s what they’re going to get."
Aaron Rodgers signed a 3-year $150 million extension this off-season
Aaron Rodgers signed a three-year, $150,815,000 contract with the Green Bay Packers, including a $40,800,000 signing bonus, this offseason. The deal includes $101,515,000 guaranteed and an average annual salary of $50,271,667.
Rodgers is currently under contract through the 2027 season, after which he will be a free agent if he doesn't decide to retire before then.
While the Packers extended Aaron Rodgers, they lost All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams, trading him to the Las Vegas Raiders. This meant the veteran lost a reliable target in Adams, who can be an impactful player on any down.
Just the thought of losing a receiver like Adams is a big deal, and one would think Rodgers may not be able to reach the same success without him. However, according to Statmuse, Aaron Rodgers has a 10-1 career record in games played without Adams since 2015.
He will hope to improve on that even further in the 2022 campaign.