Aaron Rodgers pay cut might have Packers wondering 'What if?'

When Aaron Rodgers made the unprecedented move to take a sizable pay cut when he signed his revised contract with the New York Jets, Green Bay fans might have wondered, "Why not us?"

The short answer? Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst.

Rodgers' relationship with the Packers front office soured once the team selected quarterback Jordan Love with its 2020 first-round pick, with Rodgers subsequently demanding the organization either fire Guntekunst or trade the future Hall of Famer during the 2021 offseason.

Per Yahoo! Sports reporter Charles Robinson at the time, "A reconciliation may not be possible if Guntekunst remains and ... team president Mark Murphy is aware of the quarterback's feelings about the general manager."

That report was corroborated by The Athletic in May 2023.

With the Packers choosing Guntekunst over Rodgers, it made it impossible that Rodgers would consider a pay cut. The four-year contract extension in 2022 made him the league's highest-paid quarterback at the time with an average annual value of $50 million.

That deal lowered his cap number in 2022, however, which was expected to lead to the franchise re-signing wide receiver Davante Adams. Instead, the organization traded Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders for a first- and second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Both sides are moving on, but fans will always wonder what would have happened had Rodgers accepted less money from the Packers. It's a great "What if" to ponder, along with why the Packers would choose a suit over the best quarterback in franchise history.

Depending on how Green Bay's season goes, the Packers might have a long time to think about it.