Aaron Rodgers knows one team he won't be playing for in 2023
It's the offseason of Aaron Rodgers, again. Sure, Tom Brady has broken in with his second retirement (which is something like a second breakfast) and we'll have to wait and see if this one sticks. Brady's announcement cut into the regularly scheduled programming of Rodgers' "will he, won't he" offseason routine, though.
Much like the quarterback he replaced, Brett Favre, Rodgers mulling retirement has become a saga three offseasons strong. The added wrinkle this offseason is that there's serious smoke behind the rumor that Rodgers could decide to come back but — in another Favre-like coincidence — the Green Bay Packers decide they're done with him and trade him somewhere new.
The New York Jets have been a hot name on the rumor mill and there's always the potential that Rodgers can be reunited with his good friend Davante Adams with the Las Vegas Raiders.
There is one team that Rodgers seems to know won't get his services, though. Recently playing at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the four-time MVP dashed the hopes of any San Francisco 49ers fans dreaming about No. 12 in scarlet and gold.
He was asked if he had any news to break while on the course.
“I’m not going to San Fran," he bluntly said.
This could be because Green Bay has already told him that if he is traded, it won't be to the 49ers. After all, San Francisco has had the Packers' number in the playoffs more often than not. There's not much love lost between the two organizations.
This also could be Rodgers making a call back to when he slid all the way to No. 24 in the 2005 NFL Draft, which allowed the Packers to draft him. The 49ers had the first pick in that draft and there was a ton of speculation that Rodgers was worthy of the No. 1 overall pick.
San Francisco ended up drafting Alex Smith, though, and when later asked if he was disappointed the Niners didn't draft him, Rodgers let out perhaps one of the greatest lines in sports history.
"Not as disappointed as the 49ers will be that they didn't draft me," he said.
The 49ers may have gotten the last laugh in the long run because they have owned Rodgers and the Pack, but they won't be laughing if he ends up going somewhere else — or even staying in Green Bay — and wins one more Super Bowl.
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