National Football League fans across the world are eagerly awaiting the big season kick off on September 8 as defending Super Bowl LVI champions Los Angeles Rams host Buffalo, but one of the huge topics of news during the off-season has been Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his own future.
Rodgers is Ready for The Packers, But It’s A Different Aaron
38-year-old reigning back-to-back NFL MVP will turn 39 in December, and it has been an interesting few years for the long-time NFL legend after he questioned his own future at the Packers following their NFC title game defeat to the Buccaneers back in January 2021.
Aaron Rodgers’ 4 MVP seasons:
• 168 TDs
• 20 INTsNobody has ever played the QB position better than 12. pic.twitter.com/eegBxhUrhg
— Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) August 7, 2022
The uncertainty is firmly in the rearview mirror now as he continues to prepare for the coming season and more than anything he is simply thankful that things are now more back to normal.
Meeting with Sports Illustrated this week to discuss the future and his more recent past, things were clearly different for the four-time MVP as he was back in a more familiar locker room.
“One of the things that’s been really special is these tables are back in the locker room. They don’t mean anything to many people, but they were gone last year (a Covid measure). And when the media leaves, to see guys playing cards again in the locker room, spending time with each other. It used to be, with no tables in here, anytime we had a break, everybody’s just in their locker; no one’s talking to each other, everybody’s looking at their phone. The whole energy has shifted with something as small as that. Guys are hanging out, guys are BSing, guys are playing cards. That’s a really cool thing. We got the media back in the locker room, which is fun because now more guys get opportunities to speak, and you see their personalities. And there are a lot of fun things coming.”
As the very successful Rodgers heads into his 18th NFL season, there are plenty who would have a quick 5 dollar casino bet on further success going his way, but his previously aired issues about his own future are now a source of strength for him, allowing him more to appreciate what he has at the franchise and also in his own personal life – with far fewer regrets to boot.
“Going through it really made it clear who’s an ally and who’s not an ally. It’s more the mindset of the last couple years of trying to live with a little more gratitude and perspective as an older player that the years are coming to an end. And the end is near. Who knows how many years that is? But it’s definitely closer every single year. So I’m living my life with a little more perspective about how special the journey has been and less about what you don’t have, what you couldn’t accomplish, what could’ve been. Because that’s a never-ending loop of stuff that takes you away from living with far more gratitude.”
It certainly sounds like Aaron Rodgers’ own personal journey has reached a positive conclusion where he is now more comfortable with everything in his life – the one thing that will not change is his approach on the field, as in appreciating that his career is almost at an end, he will absolutely want to make the most of the time that remains, so there is no chance that his competitive spirit and attitude will be dulled.
He will simply brush off any knocks quicker and look to make up for it in the next match off.
