Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks to pass during the first quarter of the 13-10 NFC Divisional Playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field on January 22, 2022.. (Phot0: Patrick McDermott/Getty ImagesPhoto: Getty Images North America
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has decided that 17 seasons with the Green Bay Packers are not enough.
According to multiple media reports, Rodgers has decided to return to the Packers, ending weeks of speculation on his future.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network was the first to report the news.
Rapoport and other are also reporting that Rodgers and the Packers have agreed on a four-year, $200 million deal, with $153 million guaranteed, although in a tweet early Tuesday afternoon, Rodgers disputed that (see tweet below).
The decision certainly affects the Denver Broncos, who were one of the favorites to land Rodgers had he made the decision to leave Green Bay.
Rodgers, 38, is coming off a 2021 season in which he earned his second consecutive and fourth overall Most Valuable Player Award. He threw for 4,115 yards with 37 touchdowns and only four interceptions.
Rodgers was also named MVP in 2011, 2014 and 2020.
In his 17-year NFL career, Rodgers has amassed 55,360 yards and 449 touchdowns. He is a four-time First Team AP All-Pro and has made the Pro Bowl 10 times, including each of the last four seasons.
He led the Packers to a 31-25 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV on February 6, 2011 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. He threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns and was the MVP.
Rodgers’ decision comes after he denied a report by ESPN’s Dianna Russini on The Rich Eisen Show that he wants to be the highest paid player in the NFL by a wide margin, commanding at least $50 million per season.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is pulling down an average of $45 million per season after signing his 10-year, $450 million contract.
Rodgers told The Pat McAfee Show that Russini’s report was “categorically false.”
His decision to return to the Packers comes on Tuesday, March 8, the deadline for teams to place the franchise tag on players. Green Bay’s standout wide receiver Davante Adams, whom the Packers might tag, and Rodgers have been linked and Rodgers would undoubtedly want Adams to also remain with the Packers.
Now that Rodgers is off the market, the Broncos will have to focus elsewhere to improve the quarterback position.
Seattle has already rebuffed the Washington Commanders efforts to trade for Russell Wilson but the Broncos might still be in play for him.
Rodgers and Wilson are the Broncos top targets at quarterback.
Denver has nearly $50 million in salary cap space and they also have 11 picks in the upcoming NFL Draft. The Broncos have the ninth overall selection, plus two second-round picks, two more selections in the third round, a fourth rounder, two fifth round picks, one in the sixth round and a pair of seventh round selections.
Some combination of all of that could still be appealing to the Seahawks.