With the calendar turning to June, Aaron Rodgers still hasn’t chosen a team–– and he’s now talking retirement procedures instead of signing on a dotted line.
During an appearance with Mike Stud on the “YNK Podcast”, Rodgers was asked if he was planning to retire as a member of the Packers once his career is over.
This usually entails signing a one-day contract with a team before calling it quits.
“I’ve thought about that, but I don’t understand what the reason for that is,” Rodgers said. “At the same time, I grew up a [49ers] fan and most of my favorite players retired as a Niner. Jerry Rice, who went to three other teams, came back and retired as a Niner, so I understand the cool thing about it, but if I didn’t do it, would that make a difference in how I’m viewed in the Packers’ eyes?”
Rodgers, 41, did not end things with the Packers on smooth terms, consistently taking shots at the front office for its mishandling of his former teammates and often taking the long-term approach over short-term moves that could have better aided certain Super Bowl pushes.
Still, Rodgers would consider signing with the Packers one more time.
“There’s a lot of love for me and how I feel about the team,” Rodgers said. “If I do or I don’t [retire as a Packer], I don’t think it should make a difference, I’m not sure yet. If they approached me about it, I probably would.”
Green Bay traded Rodgers to the Jets in April 2023 after he demanded a trade in exchange for a conditional draft pick that turned into a second-round selection after he tore his Achilles in the Jets’ season opener against the Bills during that campaign.
Rodgers spent two seasons with the Jets before they released him after a down 2024 campaign, and he is now taking his time deciding where he wants to play in 2025 — if at all. One of the reasons for the holdup is that Rodgers revealed last week that someone close to him is dealing with cancer.
It has long been expected that Rodgers would be a Pittsburgh Steeler, although his lack of urgency to sign a contract as the summer nears is still a bit peculiar.