The Aaron Rodgers Hobbit Adventure Is Complete
Two weeks ago, The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov tweeted that Aaron Rodgers was “going on a ‘darkness retreat’ in a couple of weeks. It’s 4 days, complete darkness, just himself, in a little house.”
Soon after the Meirov tweet, Rodgers confirmed the trip and told The Pat McAfee Show about the activity, “I’m still in the art of contemplation about my future. After my isolation retreat, I’ll be ready to make a decision.”
The Aaron Rodgers Hobbit Adventure Is Complete
Fast forward to February 23rd, and the darkness isolation retreat is in the books.
ESPN’s Xuan Thai wrote Thursday, “Rodgers, 39, completed his darkness retreat at Sky Cave on Wednesday, according to Scott Berman, who owns the facility on hundreds of acres of forested land in southern Oregon.”
Thai reported, “Rodgers spent his time [in] a partially underground, Hobbit-like structure with 300 square feet of space, devoid of light, with a queen bed, a bathroom and a meditation-like mat on the floor. It is fully powered, so at any point, the lights can be turned on from inside the room.”
So, that’s that on Rodgers’ trip, and the world he returned to, at least regarding football, might be a wee bit different.
On February 16th, respected Packers writer Bob McGinn announced his belief that the Packers — the organization — are ready to move on from the 39-year-old. And if McGinn is correct, it’s really a first-of-its-kind revelation. Usually, around this time in the offseason, everyone is at the mercy of Rodgers’ “will I come back?” decision, much like his predecessor Brett Favre.
McGinn said on the Go Long Pod last week, “As of right now, I’m convinced — based on my own instincts and knowing the NFL and knowing what happens after all these defeats and discussions with someone who has firsthand knowledge of this organization, of the Packers’ internal debates — that they are done with Rodgers.”
“That’s the way it is right now, that he’s not coming back. They’re disgusted with him, and they’re done with him, and they’re moving on. This is going to involve money and a trade partner and all kinds of things,” McGinn continued.
McGinn opined on possible 2023 QB1 Jordan Love, as well, “I’m totally convinced [Rodgers] is not going to be their starting quarterback this year. On the other hand, they love Jordan Love. They think he’s the second coming now. They’ve seen enough in practice for three years that they believe he is like Rodgers 2.0.”
“That’s where this organization is coming from right now. They have turned the page, just like they did to Favre in June and July, those months in the summer of 2008, and I don’t see it changing,” McGinn forecasted.
Now, after the darkness isolation retreat, plus the McGinn theories, the situation will reach a boiling point as NFL free agency is less than three weeks away. Green Bay must determine its Rodgers-themed intentions, decide on Love’s fifth-year rookie contract option, and add new players accordingly. Packers brass can’t do much with Rodgers’ $99 million in dead cap money undecided.
Rodgers has three options: play for the Packers in 2023 (with McGinn’s thoughts as null and void), request a trade, or retire.
Perhaps the retreat provided enlightenment for all parties.
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Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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