Aaron Rodgers gave a hint on how long he will play in the NFL. The Green Bay Packers quarterback recently spoke to reporters about the team’s upcoming game against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. When Rodgers was asked if he’ll be like Brady and play until he’s 45, he said that’s likely not going to happen.
“I won’t be, I’ll be doing something else,” Rodgers, 38, said, per Fox News. “I have a lot of other interests outside the game. Game’s been really, really good to me. I feel I’ve given my all to the game. At some point, it’ll be time to do something else, and I strongly believe that’ll be before 45.”
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This leads to the question of when will Rodgers retire from the NFL? Rodgers is signed through the 2024 season, which would make him 41 years old if he retired then. He could likely retire then depending on how he feels and if he wins another Super Bowl. While Brady has had more success than Rodgers, both are still playing at a high level despite their age. Rodgers won the NFL MVP award the last two seasons, and Brady led the NFL in passing yards in 2021.
“The consistency where you’re still playing at a high level and there’s not the drop-off,” Rodgers said when asked about Brady playing for 23 years. “Every great player fears turning into a real below-average player on the way out. I don’t think anybody wants to really hang on. Maybe some guys just want to get another year, or they’re maybe on a team where they can do a lot less. But when you’ve achieved at a high level for a long time, you try and stay there for as long as you can.”
Sunday will be the fifth time Rodgers and Brady will play against each other, and based on how things have gone for Brady recently, it could be the last time the two future Hall of Famers will be on the same field. The last time the two met was in the NFC Championship game for the 2020 season. Brady and the Buccaneers defeated the Packers in the game and went on to win the Super Bowl.