We don’t know if Aaron Rodgers is leaving the Packers officially yet, but a former Green Bay executive sees similarities to Brett Favre’s exit years ago.
Once upon a time, the Green Bay Packers had a longtime starting quarterback who had won the franchise a Super Bowl. The successor to this signal-caller had been drafted in the first round a few years prior and the organization appeared ready to move onto the next chapter. However, the incumbent quarterback wasn’t ready to let go, retiring then unretiring and making everything complicated.
Outside of that last part, we could be talking about Brett Favre in 2008 or Aaron Rodgers 15 years later in 2023. The latter, of course, was the former first-round pick waiting to take over whenever Favre retired and then came back. However, his job was no longer waiting for him when he did.
And all of this is why former Packers vice president Andrew Brandt, who was with the team from 1999-2008, sees Green Bay on a path with Rodgers that is shockingly similar to the one the franchise ended up having to go down with Favre.
Packers: Former exec reveals ‘eerie’ similarity between Aaron Rodgers, Brett Favre
During an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, Brandt gave some insight into how the situation with the Packers in 2008 mirrors where the team currently is with Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love.
“We were ready to turn the keys over to Aaron,” Brandt said. “Brett retired, but of course he came back and it got messy. We had to tell Brett we’d moved on… I think the Packers are ready to move to Jordan Love.”
With Rodgers recently returning from his four-day darkness retreat to contemplate his decision about his future, it’s impossible to deny that Brandt has merit with where he’s coming from. Reports have indicated that Green Bay is ready to turn to the page already. But Rodgers is essentially holding up any decision-making or trading on the part of the Packers as he tries to make his own decisions.
Regardless, we shall see what transpires. However, if 2008 taught us anything, perhaps there is good reason to believe that the Jets will indeed be trading for Aaron Rodgers and starting him in the 2023 season. After all, that’s eventually where the Favre saga ended up.
