For 29 years have the Green Bay Packers been blessed with having a master at the Quarterback position. Ever since Week 4 of the 1992 season, the legendary Brett Favre played in every single game for the next fifteen years, leading his Packers franchise to two Super Bowl appearances - lifting one in the process. Upon Favre’s departure to the New York Jets in 2007, it was a near seamless transition to their next franchise quarterback - Aaron Rodgers. Drafted 24th overall in the 2005 draft, two swift years as a backup to Favre has been followed by fourteen years of near-perfection. A sea of accolades to accompany his divine career, the final sands at the top of the hourglass are starting to eek away, as his future in the famous green and gold looms heavy with uncertainty.
Since the days of Vince Lombardi, whose legend lives on with every lift of his trophy, the Packers have experienced a wealth of both success and failure. Failure in the form of the notorious ‘dark ages’ that plagued the organisation for twenty-two years was swiftly replaced with fortune upon Favre’s arrival into the ‘Frozen Tundra’. Eight division championships, five NFC Championship Games and, yes, two Super Bowls restored parity for the yearning fans of Green Bay. A city so passionate, so proud of their warriors who step out onto the vast icy bowl of Lambeau Field, the only expectation is success. Rodgers arrived into the city with a colossal task and, perhaps arguably, has achieved more on the field than his predecessor.
So yes, Rodgers has been rather exceptional for some time. Nine Pro Bowl appearances and three Most Valuable Player awards (with the past season spawning his most recent) does indeed reinforce this. His tenure in Green Bay, however, looks to be coming to a dignified halt. In the wake of his Packers’ 31-26 NFC Championship loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the now 37 year old admitted that his future in Wisconsin is met with a question mark:
"I'm going to have to take some time away for sure, and clear my head and just kind of see what's going on with everything.”
Admittedly, these words were spoken in the immediate aftermath of their defeat to Brady’s Bucs which, with the power of hindsight, probably isn't as shameful a defeat as one would have first believed. Indeed, Brady would earn his seventh ring after defeating Mahomes’ Chiefs in the Super Bowl but, still, Rodgers would have felt his Packers side stood as solid a chance. It just was not to be.
In fairness, questionable decisions from head coach Matt LaFleur hardly gave Rodgers a choice, after opting to kick a field goal with his side down by eight points with little over two minutes remaining. That is somewhat inexcusable, and, surely, demonstrates a lack of trust in his quarterback. Frustration is perhaps an understatement to describe the star thrower’s emotions after the game. There was certainly an element of uncertainty from Rodgers in his post-match interview, uncertainty over whether or not he will be returning. As the once erupted volcano has now cooled, the mysterious questions over the Packers’ quarterback situation are beginning to unravel. It came as relative surprise when Green Bay opted for 22 year old QB Jordan Love with the twenty-sixth pick of the first round of the 2020 Draft.
Instead of going all in for the past season, the Packers’ front office instead looked to the future. Historically, the franchise has had rather fortunate success at drafting talented quarterbacks. It was not as if Rodgers was drafted high up in the first round, either. Despite being the second to be drafted in his position behind Alex Smith, the California native was forced to play the waiting game, having been picked 24th overall. Love, on the other hand, was the fourth to be selected in his position. An optimistic approach, or just plain bold? The old cliché of ‘time will tell’ rings true around snowy Lambeau but, with the current uncertainty, his time may come a little sooner than once planned.
It seems inevitable, then, that the Packers will part ways with their franchise quarterback, but not just yet. Rodgers is in the midst of a four-year, $134 million extension he signed with the Packers back in 2018, and will remain under contract until the completion of the 2023 season. This unequivocally arises issues for a quarterback who evidently wants to continue his career away from Lambeau Field. The organisation is rumoured to be negotiating a restructured deal which may shorten his stay, but there is nothing concrete. This revamped contract would dramatically help Green Bay’s cap space, in which they currently have around $3.8 million, hardly a figure that is going to attract greatness.
Defeat to Tampa has brought the franchise into limbo. There remains an influx of young talent on the current roster - Davante Adams and Aaron Jones - to name a few. The Packers, too, have the quarterback positioned locked down for the foreseeable future who they deem fit to succeed Rodgers but, currently, he is not ready for the NFL. Exercising a deal which pleases Rodgers which allows Love to further sit behind him is as favourable an option as possible. Success has been rife, but like all great dynasties, the novel must ultimately end.
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