Aaron Rodgers signed a three-year $150 million contract with the Green Bay Packers ahead of the 2022 season. The move made him the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history, but also was a time of uncertainty for now Packers starting quarterback Jordan Love. If he was to succeed Rodgers, how would he do so if Rodgers was around for so long with so much money attached?
Well, Love (and everyone else) got their answer this offseason when Rodgers requested a trade to the New York Jets. In order to allow the Jets to be competitive, though, Rodgers agreed to a contract restructure that pushed over $100 million into 2024. While it got the trade done, it did not resolve the money issue in the long-term.
According to Tom Pelissero, though, of NFL Network, Rodgers and the Jets are in agreement on a new contract, one that is a MASSIVE pay cut from what he had previously agreed to with the Packers:
The #Jets signed four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers to a new two-year, $75 million guaranteed contract through the 2024 season, per NFL salary data.
Rodgers had nearly $110M guaranteed remaining on his old deal in GB. He’s taking less for a shot at a ring (or two) in New York. pic.twitter.com/FI6rmtgmAO
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 26, 2023
Rodgers is still making a pretty good salary at $37.5 million per year, but that is still a far cry from the $50 million per year he would have made under the previous contract.
Why Did Aaron Rodgers Sign for Less with the New York Jets than He Did the Green Bay Packers
It is no secret that Rodgers was unhappy with the Packers organization. In order to retain the future Hall of Famer’s services, Green Bay had to pay him that much. In doing so, they did end up having to make some tough roster decisions.
Now that Rodgers is on a team on which he has no beef with the front office, he is more willing to take less money.
This should not discredit all the things Rodgers did for the Packers organization as a whole. As Mark Murphy said this week, he will end up having his number retired, an honor given to very few in franchise history.
That being said, his sudden willingness to take less stings a bit for Packers fans, who saw numerous players depart over the years due to salary cap concerns.
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