Getty Former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Hundley is already breaking records in the XFL.
The Green Bay Packers haven’t had many other starting quarterbacks during the Aaron Rodgers era, but one former starter for the iconic franchise is already breaking records after signing with his new team.
Brett Hundley was the backup quarterback for the Packers for three seasons after being taken by Green Bay in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. A college star for the UCLA Bruins, Hundley primarily played behind Rodgers until 2017, when he was thrust into the starting lineup after the four-time MVP suffered a broken collarbone.
The 29-year-old quarterback has bounced around the NFL since his time in Green Bay, but now he has a new home. The XFL’s communications department tweeted that Hundley has signed with the league’s Vegas Vipers, and one insider reported that his $200,000 contract is the largest payday of any player in the third iteration of the spring football league.
Hundley hasn’t had a lot of opportunities to be a starting quarterback since 2017, but this new role in the XFL could give him a chance to remind everyone of what kind of player he was coming out of college.
Will Aaron Rodgers Be Traded This Offseason?
While former backups of Rodgers are doing anything from Hundley playing in the XFL to Graham Harrell coaching at Purdue, the future Hall of Fame QB still isn’t sure what his future holds.
Despite ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting that the Packers are considering trading Rodgers this offseason, the 39-year-old has yet to make a decision on playing or retiring this offseason. Rodgers even admitted that he won’t make a decision until after his “darkness retreat” where he will be in isolation without light for four days.
Speculation about a trade hasn’t slowed down despite Rodgers remaining noncommittal about his future. Rumors has already surfaced about a potential reunion with Davante Adams by joining the Las Vegas Raiders, while former first-round safety Darnell Savage is being named as part of a potential trade package to the New York Jets.
Regardless of where Rodgers could be traded, his contract will play a big factor in whether or not he’s moved. The Packers would take on a dead cap hit of over $40 million if he’s traded before June 1, while the team trading for him would have to take on the remainder of his massive contract.
There are still some obstacles in the way, but the signs keep pointing to Rodgers playing elsewhere in 2023.
Is Jordan Love Ready to Start?
He’s been waiting patiently for years, but now Jordan Love may finally be getting his opportunity to be an NFL starting quarterback.
Love was taken in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Utah State with the plan to be the successor to Rodgers. That succession plan has taken longer than expected, with the 39-year-old quarterback winning back-to-back MVPs in 2020 and 2021.
Now, Love’s patience may be wearing thin. The 24-year-old has reportedly considered a trade request if Rodgers is still Green Bay’s starter in 2023 so that he can finally have an opportunity to be a starter.
After brief glimpses of Love this season, he may finally be ready to be a starter. Replacing an injured Rodgers in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles, Love completed 6 of 9 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown, posting a 146.8 passer rating in the loss.
If the Packers pick up his fifth-year option, they will only have two full seasons with Love as a starter if he takes over in 2023. At some point, Matt LaFleur and his coaching staff will need to see what the former first-round pick is made of.