Rodgers Opens Up About Future with Packers
The Green Bay Packers surprised a lot of people when they traded up to select Jordan Love from Utah with the 26th pick in this year’s NFL draft. With the Packers having more pressing needs at other positions, the move signaled that the team is looking to move on from Aaron Rodgers in the near future.
The future Hall of Fame quarterback from Cal dealt with something similar when he was drafted 24th in the first round by the Packers in 2005, when Brett Favre was still the starting quarterback.
On Friday, Rodgers spoke publicly for the first time about the team’s decision to draft Love and his future with the team.
"I think it was more the surprise of the pick, based on my own feelings of wanting to play into my 40s, and really the realization that it does change the controllables a little bit," Rodgers said during a conference call. "Because as much as I feel confident in my abilities and what I can accomplish and what we can accomplish, there are some new factors that are out of my control. And so my sincere desire to start and finish with the same organization, just as it has with many other players over the years, may not be a reality at this point.
"And as much as I understand the organization's future outlook and wanting to make sure they're thinking about the team now and down the line -- and I respect that -- at the same time, I still believe in myself and have a strong desire to play into my 40s. And I'm just not sure how that all works together at this point."
The 36-year-old veteran is under contract for four more seasons after signing a $134 million contract extension in 2018.
After he was drafted in 2005, Rodgers sat behind Favre for three years before being named the starter after Favre briefly retired. Favre ended up playing for the New York Jets before ending his career with the Minnesota Vikings.
Like Favre, Rodgers believes he could end up playing elsewhere if the Packers decide to move on from him and he still feels he has something left in the tank.
"I think what it does is just reinforce kind of the adage that you can only control what you can control," Rodgers said. "It's always been a mantra for myself, but I think any great athlete there's things that are just out of our control. That obviously is something that's very important to me, but I think is definitely telling at this point that is truly something that's out of my control. What I can control is how I play and making that decision at some point a very hard one. You know, if I were to retire in the organization's timetable, then it's an easy decision. But if there comes a time where I feel like I can still play at a high level and my body feels great, you know, then there's other guys that have gone on and played elsewhere."
Will this affect Rodgers' play on the field this season? Will he seek a trade at some point or as most feel, after the 2020 season?