QB Aaron Rodgers returning to play for Inexperienced Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The gorgeous thriller tour will proceed. Aaron Rodgers shouldn’t be carried out with the Green Bay Packers simply but, and now there actually is an opportunity the four-time NFL MVP end his profession in the identical place it began.

Rodgers has determined he’ll return to the Packers for the 2022 season, a supply advised ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

The edges are engaged on a brand new contract that may decrease his salary-cap determine for the 2022 season whereas giving Rodgers, 38, contractual readability effectively into his 40s.

The information of Rodgers’ return was first reported by NFL Community.

Rodgers promised to keep away from a prolonged decision-making course of, and now common supervisor Brian Gutekunst — as soon as a part of Rodgers’ dissatisfaction with the group — can put collectively his plan to discipline one other Tremendous Bowl contender.

“I really feel like I am on the place relationally with the Packers — in a very good place, particularly with Brian and the best way our friendship and belief has grown,” Rodgers stated Jan. 25 on “The Pat McAfee Present.” “Brian and I’ve had good conversations all year long, and when it comes time to decide, we’ll have a dialog and that’ll be that. It will not be a protracted, drawn-out course of. “

It means Jordan Love, who’s getting into his third NFL season, must wait at the very least one other 12 months earlier than he will get a crack on the beginning job. Rodgers sat for 3 seasons behind Brett Favre earlier than he took over.

It was Gutekunst’s resolution to draft Love in 2020 that put Rodgers’ future with the crew into query. Shortly after the Love choose, Rodgers reiterated his need to not solely play into his 40s however to do it with the Packers. Nonetheless, he stated he realized that “is probably not a actuality at this level” and added, “I am simply undecided how that every one works collectively at this level.”

Late within the 2020 season, Rodgers referred to as his future a “lovely thriller” and shortly after the NFC Championship Sport loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers included himself in a gaggle of gamers with unsure futures.

What adopted was an offseason-long boycott — together with exercises, organized crew actions and minicamp — throughout which ESPN reported that Rodgers was so disgruntled with the Packers that he advised some within the group that he would by no means play for them once more.

Upon his return to the crew on the eve of coaching camp, Rodgers signed a restructured contract that eradicated the final 12 months of his deal, for the 2023 season, making it simpler for a divorce after the 2021 season.

Over the summer season, Rodgers detailed his checklist of grievances that primarily boiled right down to this: “I simply need to be concerned in conversations that have an effect on my potential to do my job.” Gutekunst introduced vast receiver Randall Cobb again to Inexperienced Bay at Rodgers’ request, and it was the start of improved relations between the quarterback and the entrance workplace. In reality, all through the season, Rodgers supplied unprompted reward for strikes Gutekunst made, together with signing of veterans like cornerback Rasul Douglas and pass-rusher Whitney Mercilus.

After the season-ending loss to the San Francisco 49ers within the NFC divisional playoff spherical, the Packers maintained their need for Rodgers to stay with the crew till retirement. Coach Matt LaFleur stated the crew would “be loopy to not need him again right here.”

A day later, LaFleur stated that feeling prolonged to Gutekunst, crew president Mark Murphy and director of soccer operations Russ Ball.

“We’re all on the identical web page there,” LaFleur stated. “There is not any debate.”

When offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett was employed because the Denver Broncos coach in January, it fueled hypothesis that Rodgers may find yourself there. The Broncos have been one of many groups that expressed curiosity in buying and selling for Rodgers final offseason.

Rodgers stated he didn’t need to be a part of a rebuilding course of. Given the Packers’ salary-cap troubles — getting into the offseason practically $45 million over their projected wage cap and never having vast receiver Davante Adams below contract both — that would been the case. So Rodgers will need to have acquired assurances from Gutekunst that he would be capable to put collectively one other contender.

The Packers have received 13 video games every of the previous three seasons however, with their mixed 39 wins, set the NFL file for many wins in a three-season stretch with out reaching at the very least one Tremendous Bowl.

Final season, Rodgers broke Favre’s franchise file of 442 profession landing passes, ending the season with 449. Relying on how for much longer he performs, Rodgers has an opportunity to interrupt a number of of Favre’s different information — together with profession passing yards.

Rodgers’ 2021 season additionally was marked by a COVID-19 controversy, when he was accused of deceptive the general public about his vaccination standing by saying in August that had been “immunized.” Rodgers examined optimistic for COVID-19 on Nov. 3, at which level it turned identified that he had not acquired one of many three league-approved vaccinations however as an alternative had appealed — and misplaced — his bid to be thought-about vaccinated in opposition to the coronavirus due to an alternate remedy he underwent.

Nonetheless, Rodgers had one in every of his most effective seasons with 37 touchdowns and solely 4 interceptions. He missed one sport, a loss on the Kansas City Chiefs, due to his obligatory quarantine as an unvaccinated participant, but it surely didn’t forestall the Packers from incomes the highest seed for the NFC playoffs.

When Rodgers signed his then-record $134 million contract extension in August 2018, he stated: “I do not assume this ensures something apart from perhaps the primary three years of the deal.”

4 years later, he is again for extra.