GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers clearly want to move on from Aaron Rodgers and begin the Jordan Love Era immediately.
While Packers president Mark Murphy didn’t rule out the possibility of Rodgers returning as the team’s starting quarterback, it doesn’t appear to be the team’s first choice based on what Murphy said during an interview at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association girls basketball tournament. Held at the Resch Center across the street from Lambeau Field.
“Unless things go our way, yes,” Murphy said when asked by the WIAA if there was a scenario in which Rodgers could return. “Obviously he’s a great player and a four-time MVP, but I think he’s going to try to find what he wants and what we want, and hopefully we can find a situation where we can win.”
Murphy confirmed that the Packers have allowed Rodgers and the New York Jets to speak, which they did earlier this week when the Jets contingent met with Rodgers in California.
“We gave them permission, but I can’t get into the details,” Murphy said. “We hope we can reach a resolution that works not only for Aaron, but for us as well.”
Then Murphy Green Bay’s ABC affiliate WBAY reported Allowing Rodgers and the Jets to meet was done to “help Aaron get what he wants as the Packers and create a win-win situation for both sides.”
In that interview, he referred to Rodgers’ career in the past tense.
“Very few players only play for one team, and obviously Brett had a great career, Aaron had a great career here,” Murphy told WBAY. “No matter what happens, Aaron’s going to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he’s going to be in our Hall of Fame, and we’re going to get him back and retire his number. But it’s just one of those things that you go through. We’re going to do something good again for Aaron and for us. comes.”
Murphy also led the trade of Packers quarterback Brett Favre to the Jets in 2008, paving the way for Rodgers to take over. He signed off on then-general manager Ted Thompson’s decision to trade Favre, and theoretically should have done so before current GM Brian Gutekunst completed the deal.
Murphy hopes the Packers can reach a decision by next Wednesday, the start of NFL free agency.
The Packers seem ready to turn everything over to 2020 first-round pick Jordan Love, who has spent the last three seasons as Rodgers’ backup.
“We have a lot of confidence in him,” Murphy said. “We’ve prepared him and developed him. We owe a lot of credit to our coaches and Jordan. But we think he’s ready.”
