Will Aaron Rodgers retire in offseason? Mike Florio outlines a $60 million reason for Packers QB to stay in Green Bay
Just like last year and the year before, NFL fans are once again speculating over the future of Aaron Rodgers. The Green Bay Packers quarterback kicked up a social media storm after he snubbed Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver Jameson Williams, who asked for a jersey swap after their Week 18 matchup.
The quarterback justified his actions by saying there are certain jerseys he wants to keep. This led to speculation over his retirement or a possible trade.
But Mike Florio was quick to strike down the idea of Rodgers moving out of Green Bay. During a segment on Pro Football Talk, the NFL analyst highlighted just why the Packers will be forced to keep hold of their long-serving superstar:
"The bottom line is the contract that the Packers gave him last year ties their hands for this year. If Aaron Rodgers wants to come back, he's coming back and he makes a total of 60 million this year... He said all along, he wants to finish his career with the Packers."
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Given the constant back and forth that the two parties have had with regard to the matter, Florio feels it is highly unlikely that Rodgers will play anywhere apart from Green Bay in 2023:
"I think Aaron Rodgers has already done the mental gymnastics miles that got him to the point where he's never going to play for another team. And so the idea of him working something out with the Packers and he gets traded, I would be stunned. Stunned if he plays for somebody else next year... But I don't see that. I think that it's either Packers or no one."
The analyst further elucidated on why exactly the QB would want to come back for another year and take care of some unfinished business:
"Because that's the one thing that would bring you back. We didn't make it to the playoffs in my final season. We lost at home, I walked off Lambeau Field a loser. That would be a pretty strong magnet to get him to come back once the dust settles on the emotion."
The Packers needed to win their Week 18 game against the Lions to qualify for the playoffs. But they fell to a 20-16 defeat in front of their home fans.
Aaron Rodgers skips weekly Pat McAfee Podcast appearance to work out NFL future with Packers
The four-time NFL MVP didn't make his weekly Tuesday appearance on the Pat McAfee show this week. The host expressed his disappointment over the same:
"I hear your disappointment because mine is radiating as well because I was excited for the chat, especially with everything going on in Aaron Rodgers's life professionally and on the internet, privately.
"Excited to kind of chat with Aaron today because of what happened a couple of days ago, and what the future looks like. We don't know. Let's go to the man himself. That's what Aaron Rodgers Tuesday has been."
There will be no @AaronRodgers12 Tuesday today.. he is meeting with the Packers today and tomorrow.
We're gonna have a lot of answers on what the future looks like for Aaron Rodgers next Tuesday #PMSLive https://t.co/YH4Tpir4Mo
McAfee further revealed the reason for the Packers quarterback's absence:
"It's because he is meeting with the Packers today and tomorrow. There are said to be lengthy meetings. We don't know what's going to come from them."
A certain layer of uncertainty continues to loom over the QB's future and is likely to be prolonged through the course of the offseason. This is something that has become commonplace for NFL fans to expect.