In his first post on social media since the blockbuster trade that landed him with the New York Jets, Aaron Rodgers penned a long, heartfelt goodbye message to Green Bay and the Packers franchise, thanking several members of the Packers organization by name.
“I’m not sure it’s possible to fully express the gratitude that I have to the @packers, our incredible fans, the state of Wisconsin, the thousands of players that I crossed paths with, the incredible men and women who work for the organization, and the amazing people who I got to meet along the way, in one post with 10 pictures, but I hope you read this and feel my heart and soul, filled with love, joy, and peace about my time in green and gold,” Rodgers’ message began.
The four-time NFL MVP went on to thank every Packers executive he had played for, including the general manager who had drafted him in 2005, Ted Thompson, and the one who traded him away on Monday, Brian Gutekunst. He also thanked both of his NFL head coaches, Mike McCarthy and Matt LaFleur, and individually named several members of the Packers’ administrative, training room, weight room, media and public relations staffs, while also referencing “so many countless others at the loading dock, tours, concessions, maintenance, our field crew, etc.”
Rodgers then moved on to thanking Packers fans.
“You made every run out of the tunnel special, every home game magical, and it was my honor to be your QB,” he wrote.
“To my teammates, I love you all, and am thankful for the moments on and off the field that brought us close. I played with legends, I played with friends; thanks for believing in me and having my back always.”
After spending his first three years in Green Bay backing up another legendary Packers quarterback, Brett Favre, the former California standout became one of the greatest quarterbacks of his generation as the Packers’ starter. He would be named to 10 Pro Bowls, win those four aforementioned NFL MVP awards, and led the Packers back to a Super Bowl title in 2010.
And though his relationship with the Packers publicly soured at several points over the past few seasons, especially after the team drafted quarterback Jordan Love in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Rodgers made it clear he hopes and expects the team to welcome him back after he does move on from his professional football career.
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“This is not the end for us,” Rodgers wrote at the end of his Instagram post. “I will see you again Green Bay, you’ll always have my heart.”
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