The Green Bay Packers are going to give Aaron Rodgers time to go through his decision-making process to start this offseason, but coach Matt LaFleur made it clear on Monday: the team wants Rodgers back in Green Bay for the 2022 season.
LaFleur said he believes general manager Brian Gutekunst, vice president Russ Ball, team president Mark Murphy and himself are all on the same page about wanting Rodgers to be the team’s quarterback next season.
“Every conversation I’ve had with Gute and Russ and Mark, we’re all on the same page here, so there’s no debate,” LaFleur said.
LaFleur said he would do everything in his power to sell the team’s direction to Rodgers, who could retire or ask for a trade if he doesn’t want to play or play in Green Bay next season.
“I want to be respectful of his process…we’d love for him to be a Packer, and be a Packer until the day he decides to retire,” LaFleur said.
LaFleur said he talked at length with Rodgers on Monday, two days after the Packers lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round.
“We’re hopeful he’ll be back,” LaFleur said.
Rodgers, who is under contract with the Packers in 2022, said he’d like to have more conversations with people in Green Bay and take time away from football before making his decision. He also said he expects to make a decision on his future before the start of free agency in March.
Rodgers, now 38, is likely to win his fourth NFL MVP award. He threw 37 touchdown passes and four interceptions and led the NFL in passer rating in 2021.
Jordan Love, the team’s first-round pick in 2020, will be going into his third NFL season in 2022.
