Getty Image / Patrick McDermott
Aaron Rodgers is a great quarterback, that much can’t be debated. But, whether he is worth the headaches is another question.
He was coming off two consecutive MVP awards in 2020 and 2021 and the Green Bay Packers headed into the season as one of the Super Bowl favorites. But, they missed the playoffs at 8-9 after a humiliating week 18 loss to the Detroit Lions.
Rodgers flirted with retirement or a trade request last summer, but opted to come back. Now, he’s contemplating the same options.
Recently, he made news when he said he was going to go on quite an interesting retreat.
Aaron Rodgers says on @PatMcAfeeShow that he's going on an "darkness retreat" in a couple weeks. It's 4 days, complete darkness, just himself, in a little house.
"I've had a number of friends who've done it and they had profound experiences."
He expects a decision after that.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 7, 2023
And, new details were revealed by Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero
#Packers QB Aaron Rodgers will soon enter the darkness, going into isolation to makes a decision. If he wants a trade, GB will work with him to facilitate it, sources say. Teams have already inquired.
It’s all in Rodgers hands. Story with @TomPelissero: https://t.co/8UGk3FoaPD
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 12, 2023
Here are some details from that article:
The Packers’ star QB plans to consider all options during his darkness retreat, detailing recently on The Pat McAfee Show that returning to Green Bay, asking for a trade and retiring are all options. The team is respecting Rodgers ‘ need for time to make his decision, and if Rodgers comes to the team with a request to play his 19th season elsewhere, sources say the Packers are open to working with the four-time AP NFL MVP on a trade.
The Packers would need Rodgers , 39, to rework his contract to facilitate any trade for cap purposes, allowing him to steer the process toward a preferred destination. Sources say other teams have already inquired about Rodgers and the answer from Green Bay has been consistent: until Rodgers decides what he wants to do, it’s too early for any negotiations.
On the other hand, if Rodgers decides he wants to stay in Green Bay and is fully bought in — “I’m either all-in or all-out,” Rodgers told McAfee last month about playing in 2023 — the Packers would want him back. The sides had productive conversations in the days after finishing a disappointing 8-9 season. More conversations figure to be needed, though, to make sure everyone is on the same page about the direction of the franchise and the roster.
Sounds like a big retreat ahead for Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.