Aaron Rodgers Announces His Intention to Play for Jets in 2023
Rodgers explained the situation on the Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday.
As the Jets and Packers continue to negotiate over the future of Aaron Rodgers, the quarterback went on the Pat McAfee Show to make his intentions clear: he wants to be in New York.
Rodgers stated that he plans to play for the Jets next season, and that the trade discussion between the two teams is the only thing holding up the deal. He said that Green Bay has made it known that they would like to move on from the 39-year-old.
“The Packers would like to move on,” Rodgers said. “They’ve let me know that in so many words. They’ve let others know that in more direct words.”
Rodgers, who has been the talk of the offseason for the second consecutive year, informed the Jets that he would like to continue playing, and expressed his intentions to become their starting quarterback. The Jets front office met with Rodgers in California last week, and came out of the meeting feeling like they were “on the verge” of acquiring the longtime Packers quarterback if he elected to continue playing.
Rodgers signed a three-year, $150 million contract extension last March to remain in Green Bay and, at the time, expressed his desire to retire with the Packers. However, following a disappointing season that saw the NFC North franchise unexpectedly miss the playoffs, Rodgers emerged from the year mum on his future plans.
With Rodgers noncommittal, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Packers “preferred to move on” from their longtime franchise quarterback in order to start Jordan Love, who was selected in the first round of the 2020 draft to be Rodgers’s heir apparent in Green Bay.
The Packers gave permission to the Jets to speak to Rodgers, and now that the 39-year-old has elected to keep playing instead of retire, New York becomes a legitimate title contender in the AFC.