Aaron Rodgers signed a three-year, $150 million extension with Green Bay in March that runs through the 2024 season; has a $58.3 million guaranteed bonus for next season that could be forfeited if he retires; The Packers (5-8) are currently far from the playoff pace in the NFC
Last Updated: 06/12/22 12:11pm
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers celebrates their win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LeFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst have confirmed that they want to see the future of Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers with the team in 2023.
Speculation about the 39-year-old’s future with the team has grown in recent weeks as the Packers (5-8) have been out of contention for a playoff spot in the NFC, and Rodgers drew fire after a 28-19 comeback win over Green Bay. win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday saying he would return in 2023 if there was “desire on both sides”.
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Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears highlights from Week 13 of the NFL season
With Rodgers playing through a long-term broken finger, and with a rib injury the week before the Bears game, there was talk that the Packers would be better off taking the reigning two-time MVP. for the third year keeping Jordan Love for the rest of the season – a prospect Rodgers said he will “have an open mind”.
Rodgers signed a three-year, $150 million extension with the team last March that runs through the 2024 season. It has a guaranteed $58.3 million bonus for next season that would be void if he retires. He has thrown for 2,864 yards and 22 touchdowns, with nine interceptions, so far this season.
Asked about Rodgers’ comments, and whether he would want the star quarterback back as the Packers’ starter next year, LaFleur said: “Yes, absolutely. Yes.
“But you know how I feel. I have a hard time watching the LA Rams [in Week 15] right now… that’s where my thoughts are. But yeah, absolutely.”
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst was a little testy in his response, but he responded the same way.
“Well, it’s kind of a long-term decision, but yes,” Rodgers said of his return in 2023.
“I mean, we want all of our guys back. We made a big commitment to him this offseason, so that was a big deal for us.
“But as we discussed before, we will sit down with him after the season and it will be something we can do together and move forward.”
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Former NFL quarterbacks Avery Williamson and Neil Reynolds discuss whether this could be Aaron Rodgers, who turned 38 last year with the Green Bay Packers.
Of any previous discussions with the quarterback, Gutekunst added: “We don’t talk about that too much during the season.
“We talk a lot about our team when we talk. That’s definitely going to be where we get to.
“But, again, we went through something in the offseason where it was a huge commitment on our part. It wasn’t for one year.”
‘We’ve seen what we need from Jordan Love’
The Packers are currently on their bye, before starting their final four games of the season with a Monday Night Football game against the defending Super Bowl-champion Rams (3-9), who are enduring their worst season.
If the Packers were to drop to 5-9 on the season, moving Love to the starting quarterback position for the remaining three games of their season would be something the team would be interested in, according to Gutenkunst.
Jordan Love made an impression playing Aaron Rodgers against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 12
“I think when we get there, we’ll see those things,” he said. “But, even if we are eliminated from the playoffs, which would not be good, we will still win the game – and I think that is very important.
“There’s a bunch of guys in the locker room that have to do that, so we’re going to make the decisions that are in our best interest to go and win the game.”
The Packers must decide by next May whether to exercise the five-year option on Love’s rookie contract through the 2024 season, which would be worth around $20 million.
Love has started just one game in his first three seasons in Green Bay, a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022. But he showed promise in helping Rodgers in a 40-33 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles last week – to go. 6-of-9 for 113 yards passing, including a 63-yard TD to Christian Watson.
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Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles highlights from Week 12 of the NFL season
Gutekunst added that the Packers don’t need to see Love in action to decide on an option on his contract.
“Obviously, we’ve seen him for three years doing what he’s doing,” Gutekunst said of Love. “I think there’s a stretch here where Aaron got hit where he had a lot [first-team] reps, which was great for him.
“I think quarterbacks have to play a few games before they learn to win, but I think we’re confident that Jordan can move the ball, score points and do what we ask of our players.
“I think from our end, we saw what we needed to see.”
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