By now Aaron Rodgers has become sort of that recurrent migraine to Chicago Bears fans. It’s not present all the time but when it is, it’s incredibly painful. In truth, this is a pain they’ve gotten used to for the past 26 years with the Green Bay Packers enjoying unbridled success at the quarterback position. First was Brett Favre, and now Rodgers. Chicago is begging to know if there will ever be an end to it.
Well, the simple answer is not anytime soon. Rodgers is 34 and there’s no sign of his talents diminishing just yet. At the same time, there is an undercurrent of belief even from the man himself that his clock in Green Bay might be ticking a little faster now. He admitted quite openly to Arnie Stapleton of Associated Press that he may have to finish his career elsewhere.
Aaron Rodgers open to taking a Favre exit if Packers force it
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers says he wants to play into his 40s like Tom Brady, but he might have to leave Green Bay to do that.
The 34-year-old acknowledged that he may have to play for another team like Brett Favre did at the end of his Hall-of-Fame career.
“I think you have to be humble enough to realize if it could happen to Brett, it can happen to you,” he said.
“Doing it their entire career at one place, I just think it’s pretty special,” Rodgers said in August 2017. “Again, I’m a realist as well. I have to play well, the team has to want to bring me back. But obviously I’d like to finish things here where we started.”
He’s not wrong. So many great players haven’t been able to go their entire careers with one team. Quarterbacks are no different. Joe Montana ended up in Kansas City. Johnny Unitas went to the Chargers. Favre went to the Jets and Vikings. Peyton Manning went to Denver. Kurt Warner went to the Giants and Cardinals. The league can be unforgiving that way. Most teams just don’t have the patience to wait and see if an older veteran regains his luster after an injury or down year.
For Rodgers, this is becoming an all-too-real situation. He’s coming off his second broken collarbone in four years. The Packers missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008 as well. The angst to win a Super Bowl before their window closes is bound to get much worse. So much they may start thinking about ways to extend it. That may include finding Rodgers’ successor.
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