While many NFL football fans were eagerly awaiting the answer of what Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rogers was going to do, they couldn’t help but be excited. He finally revealed today on The Pat McAfee Show on YouTube, that he is going to play for the Jets. Aaron Rodgers has been playing in the NFL since 2005 and was pick number 24 in the first round of the draft. 

He grew up in California attending Pleasant Valley High School in Chico, California. He became a 49ers fan and ultimately wanted to play for them but things didn’t work out that way. Instead they passed on Aaron taking quarterback Alex Smith in 2005. He was upset about it initially but got over it and went on to have much success – replacing hall of fame quarterback Brett Favre in Green Bay. 

Rodgers spoke with NBC’s Mike Tirico about his reflections earlier on. Rodgers said, “That was so important for me, as far as setting dreams and goals was being able to watch the late ’80s and early ’90s 49ers teams, which were obviously fantastic. I remember sitting down, we’d had a big Super Bowl party, and watching [Joe Montana] and The Drive. Then thinking, even at 5, 6 years old, ‘That’s what I want to do. I want to go out and be like that.”

Regardless, Rodgers would end up fulfilling his childhood dreams and became one of the better quarterbacks to ever play the game. To date, Rodgers has only won one SuperBowl ring but now with the Jets he hopes to make a run and reach for a second ring. Aaron Rodgers won Super Bowl XLV with the Green Bay Packers, defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 and was named MVP. Aaron Rodgers has won five NFL MVP awards so far: 2011, 2014, 2020 and 2021.

While quarterback “GOAT” Tom Brady (Greatest Of All Time) has since retired at the age of 45 and accumulated 7 Super Bowl victories, Aaron is currently only 39 years old. He still thinks he can do it and there is some gas left in the tank. 

Aaron recently went on a Darkness Retreat located in Sky Cave Retreats in Oregon where he stayed in a 300-square-foot room with zero natural lighting. The room he was in was partially underground and included a queen-sized bed, bathroom and a meditation mat. Many thought his actions were rather strange but perhaps it helped clear his mind about what to do next. 

His decision to leave the Packers behind wasn’t an easy one and now both teams are negotiating his contract arrangements. Both the Packers and Rodgers seemed to be going in the same direction. The Packers were leaning towards moving him somewhere but also left enough of the door open incase he wanted to return as well. Aaron contemplated retiring at one point and said the following: 

“At this point, I had to admit that I went into retirement 90 percent retiring and 10 percent playing,’ Rodgers said. ‘That’s where my mind was. My mind was: ”I’m tired of this.” I hadn’t gotten back into my workouts yet and I thought that that was best for me.’

Aaron said that he doesn’t feel like a victim but regrets that the Packers didn’t express that to him after they finished their last season with the record of 8 – 9. It was certainly most disappointing and the writing was on the wall it seemed. There seems to be no ill will towards the Packers organization and the fans most certainly still love him. Aaron went on to say, “I love Green Bay, It’s always gonna be home.”

Teammate (wide receiver) Allen Lazard, who also was formerly a Packer, signed with the Jets on a $44 million dollar deal. The Jets will pay the 27-year-old receiver a guaranteed $22 million dollars. He is one part of the wish list that Rodgers wanted. Other players include free agents (WR) Odell Beckham Jr. among (WR) Randall Cobb and (TE) Marcedes Lewis. Rodgers has previously played on the field with both Cobb and Lewis before. He seems to want some kind of continuity. 

While the Rodgers-Jets situation has been going on for a few weeks, the New York Jets sent a contingent to California to meet with Rodgers. This included meeting with Jets owner Woody Johnson along with head coach Robert Saleh (former defensive coordinator for the 49ers) as well as general manager Joe Douglas and new hire Nathaniel Hackett (close friend of Rodgers and former Packers offensive coordinator) who were already on-board with the Jets organization. 

Most certainly new teammates like Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner were excited about Rodgers coming to the Jets expressing their opinions on social media. 

With the contract situation, Rodgers has $108.8 million left upon his contract which runs until 2026. During the 2025-26 seasons they are considered ‘dummy’ years as this is part of the process for salary cap purposes. Rodgers deal gives him a guaranteed $59.5 million dollars most of which comes as part of a bonus before the start of the regular season. This is according to ESPN. 

Remarkably, The New York Jets wouldn’t be hurting for any kind of cap space yet due to Rodgers bonus being prorated over the last three years of the deal. So, in conclusion he would count only $15.8 million against the team’s current salary cap in 2023 and then $32.5 million for the 2024 season, ESPN stated.  

The Packers, meanwhile, would still carry $40.3 million from Rodgers’ 2023 salary on their books in the event he does get traded. That’s a whopping 18 percent of the $224.8 million NFL salary cap for this year. 

Quarterback Jordan Love will take over next season for the Packers, who has been a backup to Aaron Rodgers for the last three seasons. Jordan was drafted in the first round during the 2020 NFL Draft. Fans can’t wait to see what happens next for both football franchises.