So long as the Green Bay Packers will have him, Aaron Rodgers still is ready to play.
At 37, Aaron Rodgers could call it a career. He could hang up the cleats, rest the body and ride into the sunset as a legend of Lambeau.
It’s what the Green Bay Packers must have thought when electing to select Jordan Love 26th overall last April. Now, it’s looking more like buyer’s remorse, as Rodgers is far from ready to call it quits in the NFL.
During his weekly interview with the Pat McAfee show, Rodgers stated that even though he’s getting up there in age, his body is still ready to play for the long haul. No matter what anyone thinks, time is still on his side and his best days could be ahead.
“When it comes to records and milestones, I love them,” Rodgers said. “I do take pride in them. I think they’re more things you look back on when you’re done playing.”
A shot at the Packers front office?
Rodgers is playing one of his better seasons despite being one of the older pocket-passers in the league. Even without the team drafting him a single wide receiver in the 2020 NFL Draft, he’s aged like fine wine paired with fresh cheese.
Through 11 games, Rodgers has thrown for 3,100 yards and 33 touchdowns against four interceptions. While he’s matched his season total in turnovers from 2019, he’s on pace to break his 45-touchdown record set in 2011.
Some believe the Love acquisition has pushed Rodgers into playing better. That comment could be a shot at the front office, which once again failed to help Rodgers in the passing game at the trade deadline. Earlier this offseason, the team inquired about trading for Houston Texans wide receiver Will Fuller, but couldn’t come to an agreement on the rental value.
Maybe that’s for the best since Fuller is suspended for the remainder of the season after breaking the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
Could this be another New England Patriots situation where the team keeps its quarterback and trades the well-tuned backup? When Tom Brady looked to be closing his career, New England added Jimmy Garoppolo. That lasted for three years and four games before he was traded out west to the San Francisco 49ers.
Anything can change in the future but for now, Packers fans should rejoice. It’s looking like an MVP-caliber gunslinger still is ready to wreak havoc in Green Bay for years to come.