NFL
The much-anticipated swap deal has been completed: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is moving to the New York Jets after 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers. The 39-year-old superstar had expressed this wish 40 days ago, and after tough negotiations between the teams, a trade was agreed during the draft week. This was reported on Monday by several media outlets, including ESPN and NFL.com.
The Jets will trade first-round picks with the Packers in Thursday’s draft (Green Bay now draws 13th instead of 15th). In addition, the team from Wisconsin will get a second-round pick this year and next year, although that can still change into a first-round pick in 2024 if Rodgers completes a certain number of seasons (65 percent of the plays, note) – this year there will also be picks from the swapped rounds five and six.
According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, the deal should become highly official in “a day or two”, especially since the final details still have to be finalized. “There are still things to be done, it’s not finalized yet, but we expect that to be the case in the next two days,” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said at a draft press conference.
“Blockbuster Trade” develops into a posse
This “blockbuster” trade follows a posse involving the superstar, who was drafted by the Packers in 2005, won the Super Bowl once (2011) and won four MVP awards. Because Rodgers had only extended a contract with the Packers by three years and around $ 150 million in 2022.
After a disappointing season without participating in the playoffs, Rodgers left all options open after the early end of January, but he says he felt that the Packers wanted to open a new chapter in the person of his designated successor Jordan Love after almost 20 years. “My intention is to play in New York,” Rodgers explained on The Pat McAfee Show. But it took six weeks before the transfer was completed.
history repeats itself
And so history repeats itself: Because 15 years ago, Brett Favre, a Packers legend, switched to the Jets – because Green Bay was planning with his successor Rodgers. The New Yorkers, Super Bowl winners in 1969, were last in the playoffs in 2010/11, and no team is waiting longer to return to the postseason.