Aaron Rodgers may have won two MVPs in the last few years of his Green Bay Packers career, but his relationship with the organization was anything but peachy-keen. (The same sentiment probably doesn’t apply to Jordan Love.) And after a clear gift to his new team, the New York Jets, it seems pretty apparent Rodgers is willing to go out on a limb for front offices he likes.
(Hint: Not the Packers.)
On Wednesday, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that Rodgers agreed to a new two-year, $75 million guaranteed contract that will keep him in New York through 2024. It’s a $35 million pay cut from the $110 million guaranteed Rodgers had on his old Packers deal — the same contract he had when he was first traded to the Jets and the same contract he refused to take a pay cut on in the past.
Even without knowing the precise structure of the contract, that is not an insignificant amount of money. It should give New York a lot of salary cap flexibility and help its Super Bowl chances over the next two years. Naturally, given that Rodgers agreed to a pay cut on his contract with the Jets, not the Packers, it calls into question just how happy (or unhappy )he was during the end of his Green Bay tenure. Because that is certainly financial help that the Packers could’ve used, too.
If we’re to go off this Jets pay-cut gesture alone, I’d venture to guess that there was some lingering Rodgers resentment.
Nordstrom Anniversary sale
This was how Twitter reacted to Rodgers' pay cut
if i speak https://t.co/LytqG3p4xp
— zach jacobson (@itszacharyj) July 26, 2023
pic.twitter.com/lE643QUzyK https://t.co/oTAIOKZQtY
— sam. (@sammwichh) July 26, 2023
Well that’s really annoying https://t.co/fH0tEcmWkJ
— Nico (@elitetakes_) July 26, 2023
https://t.co/SiVHtckuB7 pic.twitter.com/8NRdpzABHB
— Joe Caporoso (@JCaporoso) July 26, 2023
Wow he really did it, credit where it’s due. Massive discount given to the Jets. @Connor_J_Hughes was all over this https://t.co/paiHkxWcIO
— Brad Spielberger, Esq. (@PFF_Brad) July 26, 2023
Aaron Rodgers makes less money than Daniel Jones https://t.co/xOdS8NKm96 pic.twitter.com/7uJj5kisd3
— NYJ MIKE (@NyjMike) July 26, 2023
A year ago at this time, he said his contract was proof he was retiring a Packer so … https://t.co/ljVK0sNkjc
— Peter Bukowski (@Peter_Bukowski) July 26, 2023
So basically it just took two weeks of practice for a team who actually wants him around for him to decide he wants to keep playing football for a while. https://t.co/BKiRttthkZ
— Marcus Whitman (@TFG_Football) July 26, 2023
Aaron Rodgers saving the #Jets around $35 million guaranteed — and they’re spreading the cap hit over five years.
That’ll clear a significant chunk of cap space in 2024.
Barring disaster, safe bet that Rodgers sticks around for at least two years. https://t.co/FPlbAIHrK2
— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) July 26, 2023
https://t.co/xIM5Z6Ye9I pic.twitter.com/660qXh9eBE
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) July 26, 2023
A ring or two https://t.co/EFkMPNxRc1
— Michael Walton II (@ZenMasterMike) July 26, 2023
Honestly my jaw is on the floor.https://t.co/9irSs7dbgT
— BadgerNoonan (@BadgerNoonan) July 26, 2023
