Aaron Rodgers’ Future With Green Bay Packers Is A 'Mystery'

With the Green Bay Packers only one win away from reaching Super Bowl LV, questions remain about the future of Aaron Rodgers as the historic franchise's quarterback.

It was less than a year ago that the team was seemingly getting ready to move on from the frontrunner for this season's MVP award. Green Bay traded up in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft in order to select Jordan Love, Rodgers’ apparent successor.

Rodgers was unhappy with the Packers’ decision and admitted he might not finish his career in Green Bay. Ahead of Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Rodgers isn’t making any predictions about what’s to come for himself or the Packers beyond this season.

“I’m always just trying to stay present, especially this year as much as anything, and enjoy the moments,” Rodgers told reporters Wednesday. “I hope there's more opportunities, but I don’t know. I mean, I really don’t. That stuff is out of my control. My future is a beautiful mystery, I think.”

No matter what happens Sunday, Rodgers has made it extremely difficult for Green Bay to consider moving on from him anytime soon. The 37-year-old is likely going to win his third MVP award after leading the league with a 121.5 passer rating and 48 touchdown passes in the regular season.

Rodgers is under contract through the 2023 season. He has a $14.7 million base salary and a $36.3 million cap hit next season. Rodgers is owed a $25 million base salary in both 2022 and 2023.

Trading Rodgers in the 2022 offseason would come with a $17.2 million dead cap for Green Bay. The Packers could move on from Rodgers before the 2023 season without major salary cap implications.

Prior to his latest MVP campaign, Rodgers looked like he might no longer be in the NFL’s top tier of quarterbacks. Rodgers failed to post a passer rating north of 97.6 in 2017, 2018 and 2019. The quarterback finished last season with a poor performance in Green Bay's loss in the conference title game.

The Packers used their first-round pick to select Rodgers in the 2005 draft. He replaced Brett Favre as Green Bay’s starter for the 2008 season. Favre and the Packers lost in the 2008 NFC Championship Game.

Rodgers and the Packers are slightly favored to beat Tom Brady and the Bucs on Sunday afternoon.

“I'm going to enjoy these moments for sure,” Rodgers said, “and just not worry about what happens down the line.”