Former Packers OL Says Rodgers Will Make Green Bay Pay Should He Leave To Play Elsewhere

The Green Bay Packers' season ended with a tough home loss to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC title game, and now the future of quarterback Aaron Rodgers is very much up in the air.

Rodgers himself hasn't committed to anything regarding his future, though he made headlines across sports when he said that “a lot of guys' futures, they’re uncertain, myself included.”

It seemed like the Packers were destined to make it to the dance this year. The team was the No. 1 seed in the NFC, finishing the year at 13-3 for the second-straight season.

The team was impressive in their playoff opener, topping the Los Angeles Rams 32-18, despite the Rams' top-ranked defense led by Aaron Donald and company.

It seemed like it was all in their corner, but then Brady took it all away, as he has done to so many teams in the past.

Now Rodgers has to figure out his future, and one former Packers offensive lineman feels that, if given the chance, the quarterback could move to another team and then come back to Wisconsin for revenge against the cheeseheads, just like Brett Favre did once upon a time.

T.J. Lang, who appeared on WXYT's The Ticket on Monday, spoke about what Rodgers' mental state might be if he indeed left Green Bay to line up under center for another team in 2021 and beyond.

"I think he was quietly pissed when they took Jordan Love a year ago," Lang said, via Radio.com.

"The one thing I'll say about Aaron Rodgers, pretty much the last 10 years of his career, he's wanted that team to just go all-in for one year. 'Just give me some pieces, let's just go all-in, let's trade a future first if we have to get a couple guys. Let's just go all-in and try to win this thing.'

"And then last year, he hinted at them doing that, 'Hey, I'm excited, let's see who they can bring in,' and they bring in a quarterback. I think that was the ultimate slap to the face when you feel like you're one piece away from winning the whole thing.

"I think he's gonna make them pay, man. I think he's gonna want some sort of new deal where they guarantee a couple more years for him, security wise, being in Green Bay. I don't think he wants to go anywhere, but I think he's going to hold their feet to the fire and say, 'Hey, if you're going to keep me around, A) you're going to pay me, and B) you're going to bring in some players that I want to play with where we can take this next leap.'"

Two straight years of 13 wins without a Super Bowl appearance could signal that it's time for a change for the Packers and their quarterback, who is under contract with Green Bay through 2023.

Rodgers is 37 years old but that doesn't mean that the team wants to move on from him after the MVP type season he had in 2020.

On Monday, GM Brian Gutekunst made his first public comments since the NFC title game loss, and said that there's no question he still wants Rodgers to be part of the franchise for years to come.

"I don't think I have to do a lot of assuring him because I think obviously his play speaks for itself," Gutekunst said.

"I will say this: We're really excited not only for next year but the years to come. He's playing at such a high level that he always has, and I think this year was a special team.

"It didn't finish like we wanted to finish, but I think everybody's purely motivated to get back, and I think, like I said, I don't think there's anything that we have to do. He's our quarterback, and he's our leader."

Only time will tell if ARod feels the same way.

































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Matt has been a part of the Cleveland Sports landscape working in the media since 1994 when he graduated from broadcasting school. His coverage beats include the Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Cavaliers. He's written three books, and won the "2020 AP Sports Stringer Lifetime Service Award."