NEW YORK — Ever since the Jets’ visit to Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers earlier this week, there has been silence from all parties involved.
That is until Friday afternoon.
Of all places, Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy spoke with WBAY-TV, a television station in Green Bay, during a WIAA girl’s basketball state tournament about Rodgers’ future.
During the interview, Murphy was asked if there was a scenario in which Rodgers could remain with the Packers next season.
“Yeah, I mean, unless if things don’t work out the way they would want them,” Murphy said. “Yeah, he is obviously a great player.”
On Tuesday, Jets owner Woody Johnson, general manager Joe Douglas, coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett flew out to California to meet with Rodgers, hoping to convince the former four-time MVP to ask to be traded to their team after receiving permission from the Packers.
Rodgers has been contemplating his future since the end of the regular season, as he could stay with the team, retire or ask to be traded. Recently, Rodgers went on a darkness retreat, hoping to find clarity about his future, but he has continued to say a decision will be made soon.
This situation is reminiscent of the Packers situation with Brett Favre when they had a young Rodgers waiting in the wings after he sat for his first three seasons. In March of 2008, Favre retired only to unretire and come back. But the Packers had already moved on to Rodgers, so they traded the former three-time MVP to the Jets for a conditional fourth-round pick.
The Packers and Jets have reportedly discussed trade compensation for Rodgers, but it is up to him if he wants to be traded. Murphy said he hopes to get all of this resolved by the start of free agency, which begins March 15.
“I can’t get into all the details, but it’s a situation where I think we wanted to help Aaron achieve what he wanted as well as the Packers,” Murphy said. “Hopefully, to create a situation where it’s a win for both sides.
“We are fortunate to have back-to-back Hall of Fame quarterbacks,” Murphy said. “It was very early in my tenure, so I remember it very well with Brett’s [Favre] situation. It kind of happens in our game, very few players play for only one team.
“Obviously, Brett had a great career, Aaron had a great career here. Regardless of what happens, Aaron will be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he will be in our hall of fame, we will bring him back and retire his number. But this is one of the things you go through as a team. You want to achieve something for both Aaron and us.”
Judging by Murphy’s comments, it appears less and less likely that Rodgers will return to the Packers and could be days away from being traded to the Jets. After 15 seasons, 10 Pro Bowls, five All-Pro selections and a Super Bowl title, Green Bay seems ready to turn the reigns over to Jordan Love, who was selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.
The last three seasons, Love has started just one game for the Packers as he has sat behind Rodgers, learning from the veteran. Green Bay has to decide if it will pick up Love’s fifth-year option by May 2.
The Packers finished 8-9 in 2022, which marked their first losing season since 2018 when they went 6-9-1 record. Rodgers is scheduled to make $59.5 million guaranteed from a three-year, $150 million contract extension he signed last year.
“Yeah, we have a lot of confidence in him,” Murphy said about Love. “We drafted him, we developed him. A lot of credit goes to our coaches and to Jordan, but we do think he’s ready.
