Why Aaron Rodgers left the Green Bay Packers after 17 years in 2021

As portrayed in the Netflix docu-series Aaron Rodgers: Enigmathe Super Bowl-winning quarterback left the Green Bay Packers after playing there for nearly two decades. Aaron Rodgers: Enigma chronicles Rodgers' experience after being sidelined with an Achilles injury for the entire 2023-24 NFL season in the highly anticipated season opener against division rivals the Buffalo Bills. The documentary series was released exclusively on Netflix on December 17, 2024.

Aaron: Rodgers Enigma portrays the transition of the QB from the Green Bay Packers, for whom he played 17 seasons and who led to the Super Bowl victory in 2010, to the New York Jets. Rodgers returned for the current 2024 NFL season but has had little success with his new organization, which fired its head coach Robert Saleh after a 2-3 start to the season (they are 4-10 as of this writing and have no path to the playoffs). Rodgers also orchestrated a reunion with former Packers standout Devante Adams, who appeared in the Netflix film Receiver series earlier this year.

Aaron Rodgers was traded to the New York Jets in 2023 after growing issues with the Green Bay Packers

Rodgers personally made the Packers' decision to draft Love in 2020

Tension between Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers began when the NFL team drafted star college QB Jordan Love from UCLA in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. As Rodgers expresses in Puzzlehe received the news of love as a sign of the organization's lack of faith in his abilities as a starting quarterback. Rodgers reveals that after his agent told him the news, he said “No way” and poured himself a glass of tequila to deal with the initial shock.

Drafting Love certainly sparked a fire in Rodgers, who won the NFL MVP award in 2020 and 2021a feat that has only been accomplished by four other NFL players, including Packer legend Brett Favre. Another point of contention was Rodgers' demeaning relationship with former Packers coach Mike McCarthy. According to Forbes“Palpable tension developed as Rodgers took several veiled shots at his head coach. And with each passing season, Rodgers has changed a greater percentage of McCarthy's plays at the line of scrimmage.”

McCarthy was eventually released by the Packers in 2018. Despite bringing in current head coach Matt LaFleur, who led the Packers to a 10-4 record this season, Rodgers still chose to leave the organization in 2023. He and LaFleur had a fairly positive relationship while on the Packers together. but only achieved an 8-9 record in Rodgers' final season in 2022.

Aaron Rodgers' trade to the Jets repeated the story of another Green Bay Packers quarterback's career

Both won 1 Super Bowl and 2 MVPs with the Packers

Rodgers' trade to the Jets in 2023 mirrored what happened to Favre at the end of his 16-season run with the Packers. Favre would play one season for the Jets in 2008leading the team to a 9-8 record and finishing third in the AFC East. Favre spent his final two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and retired in 2010, the same year Rodgers won his first and only Super Bowl. With the Jets out of the playoffs this season, it's unclear what direction Rodgers will take following the release of Puzzle.

Source:Forbes