Good news came for Green Bay Packers fans Wednesday as Aaron Rodgers stated that he wants to finish his career in Wisconsin. In today’s cash-grabbing sports world, we see elite athletes jump from team-to-team ever few years for bigger paydays, Rodgers doesn’t want to be that guy.
Rodgers has surpassed what many thought he would
The heir to Brett Favre’s Packers back in 2008, Rodgers has surpassed what any scout, league official or NFL insider could have fathomed. Rodgers appeared on Bill Simmons’ HBO show Any Given Wednesday, which spawned the talk about whether athletes like Kevin Durant should stay with one team, or more to championship ready teams like the Golden State Warriors. As always, Rodgers offered a smooth and comforting response.
“You look at two of my favorite players from my sports-watching lifetime: Derek Jeter and Kobe Bryant, and now Tim Duncan has just retired," Rodgers said. "Those are three amazing examples of guys who played the entire time, their legacy I think gets made in those later years, where they have already proven to win championships and be at the top of their game ... They stay with the same team, they stick it out. ... I think there's a lot to be said about finishing your legacy with one team. It would be nice if I am able to do that."
The NFL has just a few versions of that currently active, aside from Rodgers, New England Patriots Tom Brady, Indianapolis Colts Andrew Luck appears on that track after his new five-year contract, and similar stories could happen to Russell Wilson and Cam Newton, among many others.
Packers fans would’ve slapped you 15 years ago if you told them Favre would’ve worn Minnesota Vikings purple or New York Jets green. The phrase is that money talks, and many high-level players have “sworn” their loyalty to one team until a new team comes along willing to overpay for them, and poof, a villain is often born.
No shock Rodgers wants to stay
All bets aside, Rodgers strikes many as the player who at this point in his career, would stay with the same team until the end. He’s 32, with one Super Bowl title, and the hope to snatch at least one more before retiring. Rodgers has made it clear in the past he wants to play until he’s 40, which is a comforting thought for many Green Bay supporters.
The only question sitting in the back of this Packers' writers mind is, how long will Brett Hundley willing sit behind Rodgers before he want’s playing time or a move to a new team. Just a little nugget to keep in one’s mind for a raining day.