Rob DemovskyESPN Staff Writer5:50 PM ET3 Minute Read
The Packers president opens up about Aaron Rodgers’ future
Packers President Mark Murphy discusses the future of Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay.
GREEN BAY, Wisconsin – Sounds like it The Green Bay Packers would prefer to move on from Aaron Rodgers and start the Jordan Love era right away.
While Packers President Mark Murphy didn’t rule out the possibility that Rodgers could return as the team’s starting quarterback, it’s apparently not the organization’s first choice based on what Murphy said Friday during an interview at the Wisconsin Interscholastic girls’ basketball tournament Athletic Association said. which takes place across from Lambeau Field in the arena of the Resch Center.
“I mean, unless things don’t go the way we want, yeah,” Murphy said on the WIAA show when asked if there’s a scenario where Rodgers could return. “He’s obviously a great player and a four-time MVP, but I think he’s trying to figure out what he wants and what we want and hopefully we can find a win-win.”
Murphy confirmed the Packers gave Rodgers and New York Jets permission to speak, which they did earlier this week when a Jets contingent met with Rodgers in California.
“We gave them permission, but I really can’t go into the details,” Murphy said. “We’re really confident that we can find a solution that works not only for Aaron but also for us.”
Murphy then said Green Bay’s ABC affiliate WBAY that Rodgers and the Jets were allowed to meet to “help Aaron get what he wanted as well as the Packers and hopefully create a situation where it’s kind of a win-win for both sides.”
In that interview, he referred to Rodgers’ career in the past tense.
“Very few players only play for one team and Brett obviously had a great career, Aaron had a great career here,” Murphy told WBAY. “And no matter what, Aaron will be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he will be in our Hall of Fame and we will bring him back and retire his number. But that’s just one of the things you’re going to get through as a team. Again, we want to try to achieve something that’s good for both Aaron and us.”
Murphy also managed quarterback Brett Favre’s Packers trade to the Jets in 2008, paving the way for Rodgers to take over. He undersigned then-general manager Ted Thompson’s decision to trade Favre and would theoretically have to do so before current GM Brian Gutekunst could strike a deal.
Murphy reiterated the Packers’ hope that a resolution can be reached before Wednesday, when the NFL’s free agency begins.
The Packers appear ready to hand things over to Love, the 2020 first-round draft pick who has spent the last three seasons as Rodgers’ backup.
“We have great faith in him,” Murphy said. “We designed and developed him. A lot of credit goes to our coaches and to Jordan. But we think he’s ready.”