For Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the remaining (and giant) amount of dollars on his contract will not be a factor on the decision over his playing future.
Rodgers and the Packers lost a must-win game to the NFC North rival Detroit Lions by a final score of 20-16 on Sunday night at Lambeau Field. If they had won, Green Bay would have clinched the final wild card spot in the NFC, but it instead went to the Seattle Seahawks.
The four-time league MVP and 39-year-old Rodgers has pondered retirement in the past, and the question unsurprisingly game up in Sunday’s post-game interview. Rodgers admitted that despite having plenty of money left on his contract, he could “definitely” opt to retire and leave the remaining dollars on the table.
Last offseason, Rodgers signed a three-year contract extension with the Packers worth a whopping $150 million. Rodgers certainly hasn’t displayed any real signs of slowing down, but not every quarterback has the desire to play for as long as possible like Tom Brady.
If Rodgers ends up retiring after this season, it will open the door for the Packers to move forward with 2020 first-round pick Jordan Love. For now, Green Bay fans can only cross their fingers and hope that the future Hall of Famer delays retirement (again) and signs up for at least one more season.
