NFL

Reasons Why Aaron Rodgers Should Retire and Never Look Back

Darren - December 2, 2022

NFL

Reasons Why Aaron Rodgers Should Retire and Never Look Back

Darren - December 2, 2022

Generational Shift

NFL fans are witnessing a generational shift as the old guard ages and retires. The likes of Drew Brees and Philip Rivers retired with their heads held relatively high. Matt Ryan’s status in Atlanta serves as a warning to Tom Brady and Rodgers because he lost his place as a starter (via Sportskeeda).

Meanwhile, Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen lead the next generation as the most exciting quarterback duo. It’s a fascinating transition and it may that Rodgers’ time is at an end. Younger fans don’t care about the history of older athletes. They want to watch the younger players show their skills.

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Worst Ratio

Rodgers had the worst ratio of interceptions and touchdown passes of his career after he suprisingly threw three against the Lions. The numbers improved slightly over the following couple of weeks. But he’s still on course to throw more interceptions than his worst season in 2010 (via Sports Illustrated).

Several factors may be contributing to this dramatic change. First, he is growing older and his arm may not be as strong. He also has a fractured thumb and this may affect his accuracy. Another reason is that he may think he’s throwing to Davante Adams but his current wideouts aren’t as good.

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Damaged Legacy

Every declining athlete knows the dangers of playing for too long. It doesn’t matter what they achieved when they were in their prime because younger fans didn’t see it. Instead, they’ll judge them on their current performances and tarnish public perceptions. It’s a shame but this is the reality of the world.

That’s why Rodgers should retire gracefully with his head held high. It’s a retrievable situation where nobody is begging him to quit yet. But he doesn’t want to suffer the indignity of Matt LaFleur benching him for Jordan Love. Yes, he’ll miss the bright lights of primetime but it’s better for his legacy (via The Cold Wire).

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Nowhere To Go

Another problem for Rodgers is that there is nowhere to go if he wants to prolong his career. Any step he takes will be a sideways or backward move because all of the contenders want a young quarterback. The Jets may move on from Zach Wilson while Daniel Jones will probably leave the Giants.

But Rodgers is too expensive to be a stopgap solution for either of these teams. It seems that he should retire before it reaches the stage where nobody wants him. Nothing is worse than an athlete past the peak of his powers trying to find a home. He should look at the example of Cristiano Ronaldo in the soccer world and tread carefully.

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Lack Of Motivation

“I don’t feel like I have anything left to prove on the field,” Rodgers told FOX Sports in 2021. “I think it’s more about the enjoyment and the happiness and the quality of life that this game has afforded me over the years.” It’s lovely that he continued playing football because of its intrinsic value but this appears to have changed.

Now he’s criticizing his teammates and insulting fans on Pat McAfee’s show. It seems that he doesn’t enjoy being a star NFL quarterback anymore. He should retire because he has more than enough money. Rodgers doesn’t need to risk further injuries because he has a lot of opportunities off the field (via Bleacher Report).

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Too Much Drama

Some Packers executives may justifiably think that Rodgers should retire because he brings too much drama to the franchise. They didn’t appreciate the way he held the team to ransom during his contract extension negotiations. Then the team immediately suffered a downturn and they hold this against him.

His difficult personality isn’t helping matters either because he affects the overall franchise brand. “Sometimes there’s a lot of wisdom in being selective on what you say,” Rodgers told the New York Post in 2022. “This offseason I’ve spent a lot of time working on myself.” It’s a pity that he doesn’t practice what he preaches.

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Mounting Injuries

Rodgers has been relatively robust throughout his career but 2022 isn’t going well for him. It’s normal for older players to experience more injuries as their bodies struggle to recover from intense games. But Rodgers is playing with a painful avulsion fracture in his thumb (via Sportsnet).

He also suffered bruised ribs against the Eagles and thought that he may even have suffered a punctured lung. That’s when Jordan Love replaced him on the field and played with surprising maturity. Rodgers should retire because he has enough money not to put himself through the wringer anymore. It’s not worth it because he has secured his future and the next generation’s.

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Losing Fan Love

Green Bay fans loved Rodgers before he manipulated the franchise in 2022. Now there is a lot of division and a strong core hates him. But this works both ways because the quarterback doesn’t have any respect for his critics. He told Pat McAfee that they can say whatever they like. Nonetheless, a parting of ways seems appropriate for both sides.

“They can say whatever they want. Nothing’s going to sway that opinion, I don’t think,” Rodgers said. “I could come on here and extoll the virtues of my team and the hope for the future and the excitement about the present, but I think people who are bitter and angry, they kind of want to sit in that (via Sportscasting).”

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