ESPN Report Gives Perspectives on Aaron Rodgers' Contract Situation
The Aaron Rodgers situation in Green Bay is getting curiouser and curiouser, with the former Cal star's current status as Jeopardy! guest host adding to the narrative.
The interesting aspect of it is this: The story becomes more intriguing each day that nothing happens. Such is the state of sports in this country that no news about an issue is news, and it becomes bigger news the longer there is no news about it.
The issue generally is whether the Packers want to commit to Rodgers for several more seasons, and Rodgers' desire to get that kind of commitment in contract form.
The issue was born when the Packers drafted quarterback Jordan Love in the first round of the 2020 draft. After the NFC championship game, Rodgers noted publicly that his future in Green Bay was uncertain. The team has not restructured Rodgers' contract, which means the Packers could move on from Rodgers after this season and save up to $25 million in cap space.
Rodgers, the 2020 NFL MVP, is under contract through the 2023 season, but he wants assurances that he will be the Packers' quarterback beyond the 2021 season.
Rodgers added an element to the issue by saying he would like to be the permanent Jeopardy! host and claims he could continue to play in the NFL while being the fulltime Jeopardy! host
ESPN's Rob Denovsky has been following a lot of the non-news regarding Rodgers, and he wrote a story in which he had an agent, a scout, an assistant coach and a front-office executive anonymously give their opinions of what the Packers should do regarding Rodgers from their perspective.
You should read the entire ESPN.com story, but we provide a brief excerpt from each:
The agent
“I don’t know why he’s so worried about it. He’s the best player in the league. So what, they drafted Jordan Love? Who cares? But here’s the thing with players: They just want to be shown how much they’re loved and don’t want any sort of sign that they’re not the man."
The scout
“I would’ve redone his contract, got some more money under the cap and went out and bought a receiver. I get why you might not need to extend it, because he’s got three years left and he’ll be 40 by then, but I might adjust it and give him some more money just so that he’s the highest-paid quarterback again."
The assistant coach
“If I’m Matt LaFleur, I make sure Aaron knows I’m in his corner, and based on the way Aaron has reacted to the coaching change the last two years, I’d say he’s done a good job of that. A couple years ago, everyone around the league wondered if Aaron was even coachable anymore and look what he’s done. He embraced the change. Now, what choice did he have? But he embraced it, and people there say his leadership has been just as good as his play -- off the charts."
The executive
“If it’s Jerry Jones up there or Bob Kraft up there, he just says, ‘This is a bunch of bulls--- and Aaron is our guy and we’re going to work on making sure of that.’ Even if it’s B.S., just say it. You know how this business is, people B.S. all the time, and if someone calls you out on it down the road, who the heck cares? It’s liar’s poker. That’s what the NFL is, really."
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Cover photo of Aaron Rodgers by Raj Mehta, USA TODAY Sports
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