Aaron Rodgers’ Big Moment on Pat McAfee Show Leaves NFC North in Limbo
Dustin Baker
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On Monday night, Aaron Rodgers posted a contemplative, self-reflection post on Instagram, conveying gratitude to all those in his life.
That gratitude was a result of a 12-day cleanse instituted by Rodgers, which caused him to pause and think about all the good surrounding him.
Conveniently, Rodgers had an appearance scheduled for Tuesday on The Pat McAfee Show, presumably to expand on his post from the night before.
But that did not happen.
Immediately on the show, Rodgers told viewers no decision had been made on his future. His contribution to the show was not to retire or ask for a trade. Instead, it’s “more of the same” as Rodgers decides what he wants to do in 2022.
He has three options:
- Retire
- Play for the Packers in 2022
- Ask for a trade
And one of those options will ultimately be picked – but not after the thoughtful Instagram post. In fact, aside from sharing personal feelings, the Instagram post had absolutely nothing to with his 2022 status as a football player. Rodgers is just a grateful guy.
So, the NFC North is still wide open for quarterback status. Kirk Cousins might be traded by the Minnesota Vikings, or the team could pair the passer with Kevin O’Connell for a season or two, hoping for O’Connell to unleash Cousins like he did with Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles.
The Detroit Lions employ Jared Goff – who has a humongous contract like Cousins, but nobody cares – and could also draft a quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft. The Lions were hungry in 2021, but the enterprise still wasn’t very good for win percentage. Although, the Lions did shockingly topple the Vikings in Detroit.
Finally, the Chicago Bears will likely roll with Justin Fields, who played terribly as a rookie. For a few glimpses, Fields “looked the part,” but, on the whole, his performance ranked near the bottom of the NFL in virtually every metric. Fields, though, has ample time to develop – he just wasn’t a Mahomes or Herbert during his maiden voyage. Plus, he’ll partner with a defensive coach in Matt Eberflus in 2022 after the franchise fired Matt Nagy.
The news of Tuesday is gigantic maybe from Rodgers, which is rather on-brand for the 38-year-old. That was the big takeaway from The Pat McAfee Show. Rodgers isn’t sure about his future.
Overall, Rodgers continues his Favre-like offseason behavior. There is no timetable for his decision.
NFL free agency begins in less than three weeks.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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