Getty Aaron Jones #33 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates with Aaron Rodgers #12 and Randall Cobb #18 after scoring a touchdown in the second half against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on October 17, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
Prominent members of the Green Bay Packers have strong opinions on what’s next for quarterback Aaron Rodgers, which they’ve been voicing over the last several days.
Lost in the shuffle of rumor, speculation and possibility swirling around Rodgers at all times are those teammates of his under contract and ready to take another crack at a Super Bowl run in 2022. Several of the QB’s prominent Packers counterparts have used the media, both traditional and social, over the last two weeks to express their feelings on the unique set of offseason circumstances unfolding in Green Bay.
Running back Aaron Jones spoke to ESPN on the night of the “NFL Honors” presentation, during which it was announced that Rodgers had won his second consecutive Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) and the fourth of his 17-year professional career.
“Aaron, I want you to stay with me, please,” Jones said chuckling. “I hope he’s back with us, a Packer, and we finish it off, what we started, and get what’s supposed to be ours.”
Offensive tackle David Bakhtiari also had jokes on Twitter Tuesday, February 22. The former All-Pro posted a GIF making reference to the wild offseason ride the Packers endured last Spring, when Rodgers first pushed for an early exit from Green Bay.
“Ah s***, here we go again,” the GIF caption said.
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Rodgers Makes Cryptic Instagram Post Thanking Several Teammates
GettyRunning back Aaron Jones, of the Green Bay Packers, celebrates a first down against the Carolina Panthers during the third quarter in a game at Lambeau Field on November 10, 2019 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Rodgers made an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show Tuesday and stated definitively that he has yet to make a decision on whether he will return to play for the Packers in 2022.
“There will be no news today, no decision on my future,” Rodgers said.
Just one day prior, however, the quarterback authored a cryptic Instagram post that read like a thank-you note to his Packers teammates — and possibly a goodbye.
“To my teammates, past and current, you are the icing on the beautiful cake we call our job; football,” Rodgers wrote. “The friendships that we have will transcend our collective time in this game, and I am so thankful for the role that each of you have played in making my life that much better. I love you guys and cherish the memories we’ve made.”
Rodgers’ Call on Packers Future Didn’t Come Tuesday, But Must Be Made Soon
GettyQuarterback Aaron Rodgers, of the Green Bay Packers, gestures as he exits the field after losing an NFC Divisional Playoff game to the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field on January 22, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
While Rodgers on Tuesday knocked down notions he has made a decision on his future, the reigning MVP will have to make a call sooner than later.
Rodgers is not a free agent until 2023, but his contract details and Green Bay’s need to shed approximately $50 million in salary this offseason give the QB leverage to force the Packers’ hand into a trade if he so chooses.
After losing to the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round of the Playoffs, Rodgers vowed to come to a decision before the beginning of the NFL’s free agency period on March 16. Should Rodgers ultimately push for a departure from Green Bay, teams like the Denver Broncos, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders are all rumored to be interested in a deal.