NFL fans look destined for another long offseason of Aaron Rodgers rumors

Despite a late-season surge, the Packers fell short of making the playoffs by virtue of their Week 18 primetime loss to the Detroit Lions. It's the first time since 2018 that Green Bay won't be competing in the postseason.

Unfortunately for NFL fans looking for a quick answer as to whether or not Rodgers will return to the Packers or the league at all, it doesn't look like that's going to happen. For what it's worth, Gutekunst (the team's general manager), said Friday that he thought backup signal-caller Jordan Love (drafted 26th overall in 2020) was "ready to play" and is "chomping at the bit."

Per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, the GM added that he wouldn't "entertain the hypothetical question of if he'd entertain a team inquiring about trading for" the four-time MVP.

Last August, when discussing his future in the NFL, Rodgers at one point said "the end is near," but there's always the chance that the 39-year-old refuses to end his tenure in Green Bay with just one Super Bowl ring (the same number as embattled former Packers Hall of Famer Brett Favre). 

Despite battling injuries throughout the 2022 regular season, Rodgers still played in all 17 games, but certainly showed signs of slowing down with his lowest passing yardage total (3,695) since his injury-shortened 2017 season and 12 interceptions (one shy of his career high in 2008).

With the NFL playoffs kicking off in just over 24 hours, but no Aaron Rodgers to watch play, it looks like it's going to be another long winter, spring and potentially summer until this situation is resolved.