Aaron Rodgers' Latest Real Estate Purchase Could Be Hinting About His Future
The Green Bay Packers surprising loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL playoffs on January 22 prompted renewed questions about star quarterback Aaron Rodgers' future. Buzz about Rodgers' retirement had been swirling ever since the 2020 season, when fans and media alike speculated as to whether or not he would suit up for another year. Prior to the loss, Rodgers told a reporter in December 2021 that he "wouldn't rule out retirement," and he remained equally noncommittal after the Packers' Super Bowl dreams came to an end.
"The most important thing is, first, the commitment to playing," Rodgers said on "The Pat McAfee Show" on January 25. "After that, it's conversations with my agent and Brian and looking at the desires of the team and the mindset moving forward and then make a decision from there." Former Packers QB Brett Favre also weighed in on Rodgers' future with the franchise, telling WNSP (via the New York Post) that "we may have seen the last of Aaron in Green Bay." For Favre, this didn't necessarily mean retirement, but rather that Rodgers would follow in the footsteps of quarterbacks like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, who found success at other teams in their golden years. "Nowadays, guys play a lengthy career with a team and move on," Favre added.
It seems like Favre's prediction had merit, as Rodgers' latest real estate purchase hints that he may be eyeing this NFL team in particular.
Will Aaron Rodgers be joining the Tennessee Titans?
As of February 2022, Jared Stillman of 102.5's "The Game" tweeted that Aaron Rodgers was currently building a house in Franklin, Tennessee. "Source says Rodgers is 'open' [to] joining the [Tennessee] Titans. Another source says that current Packers teammates do not expect Rodgers back in GB," Stillman tweeted. The news comes after the New York Post reported that Rodgers sold his California mansion in late January. Typically, the three-time MVP winner would unwind there during the offseason, and the location makes sense as his fiancee, actor Shailene Woodley, is often in LA for work.
Per Bleacher Report, Rodgers is still under contract with Green Bay for the 2022 season, but because it "features a likely untenable $46.7 million cap hit," it's unclear whether this is enough to keep Rodgers with the franchise. Though the Titans advanced to the playoffs this year, many remain unsure about quarterback Ryan Tannehill, per USA Today. The team also makes sense for Rodgers, as they finished as the top seed in the AFC before eventually falling to the Cincinnati Bengals, and a successful 2022 season seems probable. Rodgers also spoke candidly about the fact he's not interested in staying in Green Bay if they aren't going to be a strong contender for the Super Bowl. "I don't want to be part of a rebuild if I'm going to keep playing," he told reporters. Whatever Rodgers decides, the 2022 NFL season is bound to be an interesting one.