Unapologetic Aaron Rodgers promises decision 'soon enough'
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[March 02, 2023]
Aaron Rodgers plans to deliver a decision about his 2023
plans "soon enough" he said on a podcast with Aubrey Marcus released
Wednesday.
Rodgers, 39, met with the Packers two days after the end of the
regular season in January. General manager Brian Gutekunst said
Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine that he hasn't had a chance to
continue conversations with Rodgers.
The Packers' quarterback recalled as a cautionary tale the premature
retirement of Brett Favre, which happened on March 6 in large part
because Green Bay management wanted his decision before the start of
free agency. Favre didn't have a final decision, he would later say,
but retired and then decided he wanted to continue playing. The
Packers traded Favre to the New York Jets.
"It's best for anybody who has an interest in this to make a
decision sooner rather than later," Rodgers said on the podcast. "I
remember before Favre retired, there were times in April and May, we
weren't sure if he was going to come back because he didn't come to
any of the offseason program. Then in 2008, he actually did retire
in March and then said, 'No, no, no,' in June after OTAs, 'I
actually want to come back and play. That's when he was traded to
the Jets. There was obviously a lot of tension that summer.
"For everybody involved directly or indirectly, it's best for a
decision earlier. I feel really good about the conversations that
are going to be had, that have been had with important people in my
life. Yourself included. But I'm not looking for somebody to tell me
what the answer is. All the answers are right inside me. I touched
many of the feelings on both sides in the darkness. I'm thankful for
that time."
Rodgers spent four days on a "darkness retreat" in Oregon, confined
to a 300-square foot dwelling that was partially underground. He
said the point of the exercise was to be alone with his thoughts, to
find full clarity and peace and calibrate his emotions.
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![](../images/030223PIX/sports29.jpg)
Jan 22, 2022; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA;
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) reacts while
leaving the field after the NFC divisional playoff round game
against the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit:
Mark Hoffman/USA TODAY NETWORK
![](../images/ads/current/graue_lda_4_2021.png)
"There's a finality to the decision. I don't make
it lightly," he said on the podcast. "I don't want to drag anybody
around. I'm answering questions about it because I got asked about
it. I'm talking about it because it's important to me. If you don't
like it and you think it's drama, and you think I'm being a diva or
whatever, then just tune it out. That's fine. But this is my life.
It's important to me. I'll make a decision soon enough and we'll go
down that road. I'll be really excited about it."
Rodgers previously stated he was aware his current contract with the
Packers would need to be renegotiated because of a fully guaranteed
salary of $59.465 million for 2023.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2023/Mar/02/images/ads/current/firststatemortgage_sda_020223.png)
Gutekunst said Tuesday that backup Jordan Love, who is in the
precise position Rodgers was in during the Favre career
deliberations, is "ready to play; needs to play."
--Field Level Media
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