NFL

Packers president says team would honour Aaron Rodgers' trade request

By Sports Desk March 10, 2023

It is looking more and more like the Green Bay Packers are ready to move on from franchise icon Aaron Rodgers.

Packers president/CEO Mark Murphy gave an interview on Friday during the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association girls' basketball tournament and revealed the team's feelings about Rodgers’ situation.

When asked if there is any sequence of events this the offseason that ends with Rodgers as the Packers quarterback for a 16th consecutive season, Murphy answered, "Yeah... if things don't work out the way we [the Packers] want them, yeah, we would.

"He is obviously a great player and four-time MVP, but I think it's trying to find what he wants and what we want, and hopefully we can find a win-win situation."

Murphy also confirmed that the team granted the New York Jets permission to talk with Rodgers and would honour a trade request if the four-time MVP quarterback makes one.

It was widely reported that Rodgers met with Jets owner Woody Johnson, coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas at his home in southern California earlier this week.

"We did give permission, but I really can’t get into the details," Murphy said.

Rodgers has said since the end of the season that he's still deciding whether to return to the Packers, request a trade or retire. Rodgers also has noted the possibility the Packers might want to move on and hand the starting quarterback job to 2020 first-round draft pick Jordan Love.

Murphy said he wanted a resolution on Rodgers' future by the start of free agency on Wednesday.

"It's in everybody’s interest to resolve it sooner rather than later," Murphy said.

Murphy gave a separate interview with Green Bay television station WBAY where he referred to Rodgers’ career in the past tense.

"Very few players play for only one team," Murphy said. "Obviously Brett [Favre] had a great career. Aaron had a great career here. Regardless of what happens, Aaron will be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He'll be in our Hall of Fame. We'll bring him back, retire his number. This is just one of the things that we go through as a team. We want to try to achieve something that’s good for both Aaron and us."

Rodgers was named NFL MVP in 2020 and 2021 but had his lowest passer rating as a starter last season and threw 12 interceptions, his highest total since 2008. The Packers went 8-9 and missed the playoffs to end a stretch of three straight NFC North titles.

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