Green Bay to Broadway? Aaron Rodgers intends ‘to play for the Jets’

Aaron Rodgers has confirmed he is ready to leave the Green Bay Packers for the New York Jets.

The quarterback made the announcement during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday. He said he had been considering whether to retire or return to the NFL but that “since Friday I made it clear that my intention was to play [in the NFL] and play for the Jets, and I haven’t been holding anything up. It’s the compensation that the Packers are trying to get ... The Packers want to move on and have let me know that in so many words.”

"When I went into the darkness I was 90% retiring.. when I came out I heard from multiple people that the Packers were interested in moving me"@AaronRodgers12 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/hBSIXvITcx

The Packers and Jets have yet to agree on a trade, and they will need to come to terms on compensation and a possible restructuring of Rodgers’ contract. He is due to make $59.5m in salary and bonuses this season but, according to ESPN, the Packers would absorb much of that cost and he would only count $15.8m in 2023 and $32.5m in 2024 towards the Jets’ salary cap.

The 39-year-old said he went into a darkness retreat earlier this year 90% sure he would retire. That mindset changed, apparently to the Jets’ benefit. Rodgers added that he still has fond feelings towards Green Bay and its fans.

“I fucking love that city,” he said. “I love that organization and always going to have love for that organization. The facts are right now they want to move on and now so do I.”

On Tuesday, it was reported that Rodgers had given the Jets a “wish list” of players he wanted alongside him, many of them current or former Packers teammates. One of those players, receiver Allen Lazard, has since apparently agreed terms