Aaron Rodgers, a four-time National Football League (NFL) MVP, will play for a team other than the Green Bay Packers for the first time in his 18-year career in 2023. Following weeks of trade negotiations during the offseason, Green Bay dealt Rodgers and two draft picks to the New York Jets for picks No. 13, 42, and 207 in the 2023 NFL Draft and a conditional second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Jets haven't qualified for the postseason in 12 years, while Rodgers has led Green Bay to the playoffs 11 times in 15 seasons as the team's starting quarterback. He won the Super Bowl with Green Bay in 2010.
Tumultuous Ending in Green Bay
Green Bay missed the playoffs for the first time in four seasons in 2022 and, rather than going all-in for another attempt at winning a title with Rodgers in 2023, general manager Brian Gutekunst wanted to reshape the roster. Rodgers, 39, recorded his fewest passing yards (3,695) since 2017 and had the second-most interceptions (12) he has ever had in one season. The Packers, meanwhile, were impressed with the development of quarterback Jordan Love, whom they selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
After telling Gutekunst that he needed time to contemplate his future, Rodgers, who was still under contract, went on The Pat McAfee Show in March and announced his intention to play for the Jets in 2023. It took Green Bay and New York six weeks to work out a deal.
Following Brett Favre
In going to the Jets, Rodgers is following the same path as Brett Favre, whom he replaced as the Packers starting quarterback in 2008. Green Bay faced a similar scenario then with a young Rodgers poised to take over for the veteran Favre and shipped Favre to the Jets for a third-round draft pick. New York cut Favre after just one season.
Rodgers is the Packers' all-time leader in passing touchdowns (475) and ranks second in passing yards (59,055) behind Favre.
The Jordan Love Era Begins in Green Bay
Green Bay selected Love 26th overall out of Utah State in the 2020 NFL Draft. The organization at one point had worries about his development but was impressed with how he looked starting on two days’ notice against the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021 and how he showed improvements in pre-snap and post-snap command during training camp in 2022.
Love has appeared in just 10 games in the last two seasons, completing 50 of 83 pass attempts for 606 yards. He has three touchdowns and three interceptions.