Packers' QB Aaron Rodgers posts on Instagram, fueling speculation on NFL future
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 02: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers warms up prior to the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field on January 02, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS - Aaron Rodgers took to Instagram Monday night with a message that has football fans and media across the country wondering what his football future holds.
After throwing for more than 4,100 yards, 37 touchdowns and just four interceptions in the 2021 regular season, Rodgers led the Packers to the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Their postseason life was short, losing to the San Francisco 49ers on a walk-off field goal in the divisional playoffs.
We knew Rodgers’ future with the Packers was uncertain after this season, given what’s transpired over the last 18 months. He posted a cryptic message to Instagram Monday night, thanking his Packers’ teammates past and present, and his now ex-fiancee Shailene Woodley.
"To the men I got to share the QB room with every day, Matt, Nathaniel, Luke, @jordan3love and @kurtbenkert , you guys made every day so much fun and I’m so thankful for the daily laughs and stress relief you brought me every week of the year. I love you guys.
To the Friday Crew, @aiydacobb , @rcobb18 , @frankieshebby , and @davidbakhtiari , I loved every moment we got to spend together this year. Your love and support was overwhelming, and I cherish the friendships I have with each of you.
To my teammates, past and current, you are the icing on the beautiful cake we call our job; football. the friendships that we have will transcend our collective time in this game and I am so thankful for the role that each of you have played in making my life that much better. I love you guys, and cherish the memories we’ve made," Rodgers wrote.
It certainly has all the sounds of Rodger bidding farewell to the Packers. There had been recent offseason steam about him possibly being traded to the Denver Broncos, after offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett took the head coaching job there. Asked about it during the pro-am at the Waste Management Open, Rodgers said, "Nice try."
Rodgers said on the Thursday after winning the MVP at the NFL Awards Show he would know his football future soon. In an appearance on Pat McAfee's national radio show on Tuesday, Rodgers said he had not made a decision on his future and wouldn't be saying anything official. He also said he's had constructive conversations with the Green Bay front office since the team's playoff loss.
Packers’ general manager Brian Gutekunst is scheduled to speak with reporters on Wednesday.
Rodgers is a future Hall-of-Famer with one Super Bowl ring, four First-Team All-Pro honors and is a 10-time Pro Bowl pick, including the last four seasons. He’s technically still under contract with Green Bay for two more seasons.
Who knows if that means we’ll have finality on what Rodgers will do in 2022. If he retires or gets traded out of the NFC North, it makes the Vikings’ path to a division title that much straighter.