Will The Grass Be Greener In Green Bay For Packers’ Quarterback Aaron Rodgers?

It’s always tease, tease, tease

You’re happy when I’m on my knees

One day it’s fine and next it’s black

So if you want me off your back

Well, come on and let me know

Should I stay or should I go?

The Clash, an English punk rock back, sang the aforementioned words in the song, “Should I Stay or Should I Go” back in 1981.

Four decades later, they’re completely applicable to Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his future with the team.

Rodgers, who skipped the Packers’ 2021 offseason program and threatened never to play in Green Bay again, eventually returned this season. His future beyond this campaign has been in doubt since.

On Wednesday, Rodgers appeared on the Adam Schein Podcast on SiriusXM and was asked if the grass is greener outside of Green Bay.

“The grass is greener where you water it,” Rodgers said. “I really believe that. And you know, that’s an adage to dissuade people from going out and taking risk and chances, and you know, I think that where you spend your time and energy and what you choose to water will always be the greenest part of your life. I decided when I came back that I was going to be all in with the team and all in to see things move forward to a better place.”

One of Rodgers’ beefs with the organization was that Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst didn’t seek his input on personnel matters. He was also bothered that the Packers selected quarterback Jordan Love in the first round of the 2020 draft to be his likely replacement.

Rodgers has thrown 35 touchdowns and just four interceptions in 2021, a remarkable ratio of nearly 9-to-1. And in his last six games, he’s thrown 18 touchdowns and no interceptions.

Rodgers leads the NFL with a 111.1 passer rating, is third in touchdown passes, fourth in completion percentage (68.6%) and ninth in passing yards per game (265.1). Rodgers has also led the Packers to a 13-3 record and Green Bay has clinched the NFC’s No. 1 seed.

Rodgers has also been involved with various personnel discussions, including a trade that brought wideout Randall Cobb back to Green Bay.

Whether or not that’s enough to keep Rodgers in Green Bay remains to be seen.

The Packers will be in salary cap hell next season, as their top-51 players currently put them $34.1 million over the 2022 cap. Rodgers has a cap hit of $46.15 million next year, which is a gaudy 21.61% of the overall cap.

For now, though, it appears Rodgers and the Packers are in a good place.

“That’s what the conversations were about, you know, during the offseason, was about being a part of those conversations that impact my ability to do my job,” Rodgers said. “And I, you know, from one of the first days, (general manager) Brian (Gutekunst) and I sat it down and got on the same page and it’s been a really nice fall and winter.

“I appreciate his approach, how it’s been, and it’s been very meaningful to me. So I’m thankful for that relationship, where it’s at at this point, and that’s made my life that much more enjoyable. So I gotta give Brian a lot of credit for meeting me in the middle.”