Aaron Rodgers's first foray into NFL free agency has been a long one and there doesn't appear to be an end in sight. At this time there appears to be only two legitimate suitors: the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants. That's been the case for a while now, though, and what Rodgers is looking for in his new home is a murky proposition.
On Monday, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer shed a bit of light on that front— and it seems Rodgers may be missing the good ol' days.
"While money is always a factor in the NFL, I don’t really get the idea it will be in this particular case, with either the New York Giants or the Steelers. At this point, my sense is that whatever Rodgers decides will come down to what he sees as the best football situation," Breer wrote. "And along those lines, I’ve heard Rodgers is looking for a culture such as the one in Green Bay.
"I get it if that sounds a little strange after the drama of the four-time MVP’s final years as a Packer. But over the past few months, Rodgers has been open with people around him on his renewed appreciation for what he had for 18 seasons in Wisconsin. Call it a grass-is-greener dynamic if you want, but it definitely has felt, to some of those around him, like spending a couple years as a New York Jet made Rodgers view the situation he had more favorably."
Rodgers was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 2005 and spent 18 years there. Among NFL organizations the Packers are renowned for stability and consistent contention— two attributes the New York Jets are not exactly notorious for. Rodgers experienced that side of the coin while suiting up in the Big Apple for two seasons and appears to have found it wanting in comparison, even if his divorce from the Packers wasn't the smoothest process.
It's tough to find a culture like Green Bay's, and Rodgers has yet to find it if he remains unsigned. The wait continues, but the picture is a bit clearer.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Aaron Rodgers Seeking Culture Similar to Packers in Free Agency Destination .
