Aaron Rodgers stated Wednesday he intends to play for the New York Jets in 2023 after 18 seasons in Inexperienced Bay because the four-time NFL MVP quarterback waits for the Packers to commerce him.
Rodgers made his feedback throughout an look on “The Pat McAfee Present” on YouTube and Sirius XM. The 39-year-old Rodgers stated he believes the Packers wish to transfer on and make 2020 first-round decide Jordan Love their beginning quarterback.
“At this level, as I sit right here, I believe since Friday I’ve made it clear that my intention was to play and my intention was to play for the New York Jets,” Rodgers stated. “I haven’t been holding something up at this level. It’s been compensation the Packers try to get for me, type of digging their heels in.”
Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy has acknowledged the staff granted the Jets permission to speak to Rodgers. The Jets despatched a contingent that reportedly included proprietor Woody Johnson, coach Robert Saleh and normal supervisor Joe Douglas to Rodgers’ house in Southern California final week.
Rodgers expressed his appreciation for his 18 seasons in Inexperienced Bay all through his Wednesday look however added that it’s time for the Packers “to do the precise factor.”
“I don’t assume there’s a state of affairs the place they’re like, ‘Effectively, we would like this and the Jets aren’t prepared to offer it to us, so we’ll take you again,’” Rodgers stated. “That’s not the truth.”
Rodgers’ feedback comply with days of hypothesis that his time in Inexperienced Bay is likely to be completed.
Patrick McDermott through Getty Pictures
Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy spoke of Rodgers up to now tense whereas discussing the quarterback’s future to Inexperienced Bay TV station WBAY final week throughout an look on the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Affiliation ladies basketball championships.
“Only a few gamers play for just one staff,” Murphy instructed WBAY. “Clearly Brett (Favre) had an awesome profession. Aaron had an awesome profession right here. No matter what occurs, Aaron will probably be within the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame. He’ll be in our Corridor of Fame. We’ll deliver him again, retire his quantity. That is simply one of many issues that we undergo as a staff. We wish to attempt to obtain one thing that’s good for each Aaron and us.”
The Jets’ curiosity in Rodgers has been obvious as they search to finish the NFL’s longest energetic playoff drought. They misplaced their ultimate six video games whereas going 7-10 final season and haven’t reached the postseason since 2010.
Their new offensive coordinator is former Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett, who earned raves from Rodgers whereas coordinating Inexperienced Bay’s offense from 2019-21. Saleh and Johnson have each expressed their curiosity in including a veteran quarterback to a roster that already options one of many league’s finest defenses.
If Rodgers finally ends up with the Jets, it will be a case of historical past repeating itself.
The Packers despatched a 39-year-old Brett Favre to the Jets in 2008, a transfer that ushered in Rodgers’ arrival as Inexperienced Bay’s beginning quarterback. Favre had received three MVPs with Inexperienced Bay throughout his Corridor of Fame profession.
Rodgers had backed up Favre for 3 seasons after the Packers chosen him out of California with the twenty fourth general decide within the 2005 draft. Love has backed up Rodgers for 3 seasons for the reason that Packers traded as much as take the previous Utah State quarterback with the twenty sixth general decide in 2020.