Cal Football: Finally, Green Bay Trades Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets

At long last, the Aaron Rodgers trade to the New York Jets has happened.

The Green Bay Packers on Monday agreed to sending Rodgers and draft picks to the Jets for New York’s 2023 first-round pick (No. 13), a 2023 second round pick (No. 42), a 2023 sixth-round pick (No. 207) and a conditional 2024 second-round pick that becomes a first if Rodgers plays 65% of the plays this season, according to an ESPN report.

Suddenly the Jets look like a Super Bowl contender:

The odds of the Jets winning the Super Bowl were 25-to-1 on February 13, but now they are 14-to-1 on most betting sites and 12-to-1 at one site. Only the Chiefs, 49ers, Bills, Eagles and Bengals have shorter odds, according to Vegas Insider.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Rodgers likely will wear uniform No. 8 — his Cal number — for the Jets, even though Hall of Famer Joe Namath gave Rodgers the OK to wear No. 12, which both quarterbacks donned during their professional careers.

While wearing No. 8 for the Golden Bears, Rodgers led Cal to a 10-1 regular season and a No. 4 ranking in the final regular-season polls in 2004. The Bears lost out on a chance to play in the Rose Bowl and were defeated in the Holiday Bowl by Texas Tech and finished 10-2. Rodgers finished ninth in the Heisman Trophy voting that season.

There still are a few details to be worked out to officially complete the Jets-Packers trade, ESPN said, including Rodgers taking a physical exam.

It was 40 days ago that Rodgers, 39, announced on the "The Pat McAfee Show" his "intention" to play for the Jets next fall. He also promised this process would not go on endlessly, but it’s now the week of the NFL draft and the deal is just being completed.

In addition to Rodgers, Green Bay is sending its 2023 first round pick (No. 15) and a 2023 fifth-round pick (No. 170) to the Jets.

The question now is whether Rodgers can do the same thing for the Jets that Tom Brady did for the Buccaneers. Brady was 42 years old when led the Bucs to a victory in the Super Bowl in his first season in Tampa Bay. The Bucs began that season 7-5, but won their final four regular-season games and rolled through the postseason, including a victory over Green Bay and Rodgers, who was the MVP that season.

Rodgers will not have to learn an unfamiliar offense as Brady did. The Jets' offensive coordinator is Nathaniel Hackett, who was the Packers' offensive coordinator when Rodgers won its two most recent MVP awards.

The other uncertainty is whether Rodgers will be with the Jets more than one season. He turns 40 on Dec. 2 and has considered retiring each of the past two offseasons. The Jets may have Rodgers for just one season, so they are putting a lot of resources and energy into what may be just one make-or-break season.

The Jets already have a strong defense, and Jets officials presumably believe they are just one elite quarterback away from being a Super Bowl contender.

It wasn’t even a sure thing Rodgers would play next season. He spent four days in a darkness retreat in February in hopes of deciding his future and the options included retirement he has said.

After winning back-to-back MVP awards in 2020 and ’21, Rodgers’ performance fell off some last fall. After averaging 34 touchdowns and fewer than four interceptions the previous four seasons, he had 26 TDs and 12 picks in 2022 for a Green Bay team that went 8-9 and failed to make the playoffs. It was his worst season as an NFL starter, and doing it while turning 39 years old makes you wonder whether it was an aberration or a sign of diminishing skills.

Rodgers has played his entire career for Green Bay, the successor to Hall of Famer Brett Favre and a four-time league MVP. He has led the Packers to the playoffs 11 times in his 15 seasons as a starter, winning his only Super Bowl title following the 2011 NFL season.

A 10-time Pro Bowl selection, Rodgers’ 475 touchdown passes rank fifth in NFL history, and he has the best touchdown-to-interception ratio (475-105) in league history.

He becomes the second Cal alum on the current Jets roster, joining fourth-year safety Ashtyn Davis.

The Jets open their regular season on Sept. 11 against the Baltimore Ravens. Rodgers will return to Green Bay on Oct. 16 to face the Packers and he will square off vs. fellow ex-Golden Bear star Jared Goff when the Detroit Lions visit on Dec. 18.

Rodgers played two seasons for Cal, passing for 5,469 yards with 43 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 2008 and '90, leading the Bears to a combined record of 18-8 with a pair of bowl appearances.

Back to No. 8️⃣, like from his days at Cal. @AaronRodgers12 | @CalFootball pic.twitter.com/iplPXfWBlr
— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) April 25, 2023

Cover photo of Aaron Rodgers by Dan Powers, USA Today

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo