Getty Quarterback Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers looks skyward during the 4th quarter of the NFC Divisional Playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field on January 22, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
Now that the Green Bay Packers‘ season is officially over, there is only one question that really matters: Will quarterback Aaron Rodgers be back in a Packers uniform next year?
Rodgers spent four quarters Saturday night attempting to evade an onslaught from the San Francisco 49ers pass rush, which ultimately sacked him five times. Just minutes after another crushing playoff defeat, the 17-year NFL veteran faced an assault of a different kind — a barrage of questions from reporters about what his football future holds. Much like the Niners pass rushers, Rodgers wasn’t very successful at dodging them.
“I don’t wanna be a part of a rebuild if I’m gonna keep playing, so you know, a lot of decisions in the next couple months,” Rodgers said. “”I did not think we’d be talking about this after this game.”
Rodgers Says Packers Roster Will Weigh Heavily in Decision
GettyQuarterback Aaron Rodgers, of the Green Bay Packers, scrambles during the 1st quarter of the NFC Divisional Playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field on January 22, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
The decisions to which Rodgers was referring do not belong solely to him, but also to the Packers front office and to the list of quality players whose futures with the team are now up in the air.
Rodgers mentioned wide receiver Davante Adams by name in the postgame presser, who became a free agent the minute San Francisco kicker Robbie Gould’s 45-yard field goal sailed through the uprights as time expired on Green Bay’s postseason. Rodgers called Adams “the best receiver in the league,” which is appropriate considering the pass catcher has said publicly that expects to be paid that way.
The QB also mentioned tight end Robert Tonyan and wideout Allen Lazard, both of whom will be looking for long-term deals this offseason. All-Pro linebacker De’Vondre Campbell will also hit the market as an unrestricted free agent in 2022.
Green Bay’s position on all of those players is likely to weigh heavily in conversations Rodgers said Saturday he plans to have sooner than later with Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst.
“I’m gonna take some time and have conversations with folks around here, then take some time away and make a decision obviously before free agency or anything gets going on that front,” Rodgers said. “It’s fresh right now, a little shocking for sure. … I haven’t really let the moment sink in yet.”
As to the reigning NFL MVP’s thoughts on playing with a franchise other than Green Bay moving forward, a composed but somewhat despondent Rodgers said the moment was not right for that conversation, it being just minutes after a gut-wrenching 13-10 playoff defeat in the snowy cold of historic Lambeau Field.
“It’s tough to say at this point,” Rodgers explained. “I don’t think it’s fair to anybody, or myself, to really go down those paths at this point. It’s disappointing, sad and fresh.”
Rodgers’ Comments on Packers Front Office Offer Hope For Return
GettyQuarterback Aaron Rodgers, of the Green Bay Packers, is congratulated by teammates after scoring a touchdown during the 1st quarter of the NFC Divisional Playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field on January 22, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
One bright spot Packers fans can latch onto was Rodgers’ honest and heartfelt assessment of how his relationship with the front office evolved over the course of this season, specifically with Gutekunst. A perceived lack of inclusion on personnel and play calling decisions left Rodgers disgruntled last offseason, when he tried to force his way out of Green Bay.
“Brian [Gutekunst] came out and saw me on the west coast and we had some good conversations and from the day I got back, I felt like there [were] earnest decisions on both sides to meet in the middle and communicate,” Rodgers said. “I feel like my opinion mattered … so that was definitely a special part of this season, to see that relationship grow. I think he put together a really nice team, a team that could have won a Super Bowl.”
The quarterback was also asked to speak to his legacy in Green Bay, even despite not knowing if it’s over yet.
“I’m very proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish here. Thankful, deeply thankful, for so many years here in the organization and all the incredible teammates and coaches I’ve had here over the years. That’s part of the legacy, the friendships and the memories,” Rodgers said. “[I’m] still super competitive, still know I can play at a high level. It’s gonna be a tough decision, a lot of things to weigh in the coming weeks.”
Those decisions, the quarterback acknowledged, include the possibility of retirement from football altogether.
“I’ll have the conversations with Brian in the next week or so and get a little bit more clarity,” Rodgers said. “[I’ll] think about my own future and how much longer I wanna keep doing this.”