Getty Image / Patrick McDermott
With just days left until the NFL Draft, the New York Jets and Green Bay Packers finally reached an agreement for 39-year-old future Hall of Fame QB Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers leaving Green Bay has been a long time coming, as the four-time MVP has put the organization through two straight offseasons of doubt as he pondered his future.
This year, though, the Packers decided that they had enough of Rodgers and committed to finding him a new home, which ultimately wound up being the New York Jets.
Given the uncomfortable and awkward way that Rodgers left the franchise, it should perhaps come as no surprise that Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said that it “would have been nice” to have certain conversations with him before his departure.
“I have so much respect for Aaron, not only the person but the player that he is. There’s so much gratitude in what he’s done for this organization. Again, it would’ve been nice to have those conversations, but at the same time, over the last few years, I kind of understood that they may not happen. So it’s different. It’ll probably hit me a little bit at some other juncture when I don’t have a lot on my plate,” Gutekunst said.
“I know this: He’ll always be a Packer. He’ll be one of the best who have ever done it around here. I have a lot of respect how he went about it and he’ll be missed. There’s no doubt about it. Players like that don’t come around very often, but at the same time, we’re really excited where we’re headed and what we’re moving to do and wish him nothing but the best.”
With Rodgers now officially a member of the New York Jets, the Green Bay Packers will be handing the keys to the franchise to signal-caller Jordan Love, who the team drafted as the 26th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
During his NFL career thus far, Love has started in just one game and has made just ten total appearances. In those ten appearances, Love has completed 60% of his passes for three touchdowns and three interceptions.
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