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Friday on 2 Pros and a Cup of Joe, Aaron Rodgers speaks about interests outside of football and his intention to stop playing before age 45. Jonas Knox, Brady Quinn and LaVar Arrington think his mindset is closer to the "common man" than it is the "football player," and they share stories of how mortality sets in while the football mentality fades away.
Jonas Knox: "If Green Bay wins a Super Bowl this year, does Rogers come back next year? I think he's gone, I don't think he sees the end of this contract. Not only is he not around at 45, I don't think he's around for another couple of years, especially if they win."
LaVar Arrington: "He's so comfortable with where he is in life, you got to believe that the end is near because once you become a real person, a human being of sorts, the end is near. When you're playing, you're like a warrior, an animal, Neanderthal, a dirtbag. Whatever you want to call it, when you play the game you're just a different person. It's melting away on Aaron Rodgers quickly."
Brady Quinn: "You have to be in a certain state of mind in order to play the game of football, especially at the highest levels... Obviously when you see the games and you see the plays and stuff, that's the fun part. Of course everyone misses that. What you don't miss is waking up the next morning and feeling like you just got hit by a car... Wanting that and feeling that sense of accomplishment like, 'Yeah I got my ass kicked, but man we won.' To think that way, it's messed up."