Aaron Rodgers has fuelled trade speculation by praising his former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett after he was hired by the New York Jets.
After the Packers’ heart-wrenching loss to the Detroit Lions in the regular season finale, Rodgers suggested he could retire with a series of non-committal answers in the post-game press conference. However, there is a growing belief around the league that the four-time MVP could be traded to a new team.
Rodgers - who was drafted by the Packers in 2005 before assuming the starting role from Brett Favre in 2008 - has refused to rule out joining a new franchise this offseason. The 18-year NFL veteran has declared a number of times that he will take the coming weeks to discover whether he will retire or return for the 2023 campaign.
While general manager Brian Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur have publicly stated they hope Rodgers will return to Green Bay for 2023, there are reportedly five franchises which could be interested in a trade. These include the Las Vegas Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans and New York Jets, whose links to Rodgers have strengthened with the hire of Hackett.
On Tuesday, Rodgers enjoyed his regular appearance on The Pat McAfee Show ahead of taking part in this weekend’s Pebble Beach Pro-Am. The quarterback heaped praise on Hackett, who was his OC in Green Bay as Rodgers won back-to-back MVP awards.
“We all have certain coaches who have meant a lot to us over the years and have created those special rooms to play in,” Rodgers said. “Obviously Nathaniel is one of those guys. Love Hack. Hack is my guy. Love him and Megan and the kids. They're really special to me. We really bonded when he was in Green Bay. He made it fun. He made the room fun. He made the weeks fun.”
Speculation has suggested Rodgers could swap Green Bay for the green side of New York following Hackett’s hire under head coach Robert Saleh, who led the Jets to a 7-10 record. The Jets had an encouraging season but ultimately were let down by the quarterback play of sophomore Zach Wilson, which is why they could move for Rodgers.
Rodgers finished 2022 with 12 interceptions - the most he threw in a single campaign since 2008, his first year as a starter - while he also failed to post a single 300-yard passing game for the first time in his career. The 39-year-old signed a monster new contract last offseason to earn $50.27 million per year through the 2026 season, when he will be 43 years of age.
His enormous salary - and perhaps declining powers - means Rodgers is certainly open to a move to another franchise. When asked about his future with the Packers, Rodgers said: “It sounds like there are conversations going on that aren’t involving me, which are interesting. Honestly, I’ve been insulated to a lot of that.
“I was in Nashville and now I’m up here to play in the tournament, so I'm not a part of those conversations right now. When I make up my mind one way or the other, you guys and the Packers - not in that order - and everyone else will know at some point.”
On retirement, Rodgers - who has flirted with the idea of walking away from the NFL for several years - added: “Look, it’s going to be a little more time for my decision. I feel confident that in a couple of weeks I’ll definitely feel more strongly about one of the two decisions.”
