Aaron Rodgers is back
Hail Mary King reboot is worth $35 million
08/12/2023, 7:06 p.m
Aaron Rogers has shaped the Green Bay Packers for well over a decade. with the team he wins the Super Bowl and is MVP four times. Now he wants to reinvent himself again. And impresses his new team.
Aaron Rodgers is one of the greatest players in football history: the quarterback has been voted MVP four times, his “Hail Mary” monster throws across the field in the final seconds of games that were thought to be lost have been one of the most spectacular things the NFL has to offer for many years has. After his great era with the Super Bowl victory in 2011 and ten Pro Bowl nominations with the Green Bay Packers, the 39-year-old will lead the New York in the evening (from 9:15 p.m. live on free TV on NITRO/ Kickoff 10 p.m.). Jets onto the field for the start of the preseason. On the other side: Bryce Young, the biggest promise of his quarterback generation. The Carolina Panthers picked him as a top pick in the draft.
And Rodgers, who has been playing in the most spectacular league in the world for 18 years (!), had a very important tip for the 22-year-old newcomer: “Be gentle with yourself. It’s a long journey,” said Rodgers, according to his own statement during the joint training week on the grass with Young. “It feels like every little failure and every little training means the end of the world if you don’t succeed. That’s just not true.” But he’s not worried about the rookie with the high-precision arm and fast legs: “I think he has a clear head on his shoulders and he’ll do well.”
Massive pay cut
Incidentally, with Young, Rodgers’ words fall on fertile ground. “When you talk about someone like Aaron Rodgers, who has had so much success for so long, I will definitely be receptive to and listen to any advice he has,” said the rookie. Carolina’s playmaker also called Rodgers’ influence on his own style “huge”. But Rodgers still has great ambitions himself: at the end of July, several US media unanimously reported that Rodgers had signed a new contract in New York – and thus waived up to $ 35 million in the next two years.
Accordingly, the four-time MVP signed an adjusted two-year contract totaling $75 million that is fully guaranteed. In the ideal case, his previous contract could have brought him a guaranteed sum of almost 110 million dollars. As is usual in the NFL, when players are transferred, the contracts are retained and transferred to the new team. However, Rodgers’ original contract would have severely limited the Jets’ room for maneuver due to the league’s salary cap. “There are a lot of big players out there right now,” Rodgers told CBS. “I wanted to make sure we could get him if a valuable player came along. I’m very happy with the contract. I have a good feeling about it.”
Rodgers plays “on a different level”
How much does the veteran himself have to give to his new team? The preseason games will indicate this for the first time. His coach is highly optimistic that Rodgers can build on the strong statistics he produced in his late years in Green Bay in the Big Apple: “Personally, I’ve never worked with a quarterback of this kind,” Robert Saleh recently explained a press conference. “And I’ve had good quarterbacks like Russell Wilson, Jimmy Garoppolo or Matt Schaub.” But Rodgers is on a “different level”. Rodgers was last named MVP in 2020 and 2021. He left the Green Bay Packers as a record man: In December 2021 he threw his 443 touchdown pass, surpassing his great predecessor Brett Favre.
Rodgers originally wanted to end his career, he said there was a 90 percent chance of doing so after last season. He decided differently – and wants to experience something new again. “Now, at 39, I have the chance to reinvent myself and find out who I want to be in a new environment.” The meticulous Rodgers, who always wished he had more influence on the franchise’s strategy in Green Bay, quickly left his mark on his new team: “In the locker room we talk about it: It’s like becoming Kobe [Bryant] or watching Michael Jordan play football,” said defensive tackle Solomon Thomas. “The details he brings in, how he commands offense, it’s crazy to see him play.” Center Connor McGovern told ESPN a lesson Rodgers had in practice: “I’ve never seen a quarterback do the footwork of an offensive lineman,” McGovern said. “He knows them inside out – not just what we’re going to do, but what our technique should be like. Perfect Steps. Wow, that’s crazy.”
“One of the most interesting men in the NFL”
Rodgers sets the standards high, the demands on his team are enormous: “The best players are the smartest players,” said Rodgers. “Every time we’re on the field, whether it’s a practice run down the halfway line or a full 11-on-11 game, they should play with their minds on.” He now wants to lead the Jets back into the playoffs for the first time since 2010, with a heavy hand. CBS named Rodgers “one of the most interesting men in the NFL of 2023.”
German football fans can look forward to a spectacular generational duel in the evening: Rodgers against Young, Jets against Panthers. You can see the game live from 9:15 p.m. on free TV on NITRO (kickoff 10 p.m.). The new live studio will also be inaugurated at the same time as the NFL premiere at NITRO. Here, the RTL team of experts will report on the upcoming NFL season from the US professional league. Presenter Jana Wosnitza, commentator Jan Stecker, expert Björn Werner and community host Alex “Kucze” von Kuczkowski will be on air on Saturday.