Aaron Rodgers reportedly requested the Green Bay Packers fire general manager Brian Gutekunst before asking for a trade this offseason, a source with knowledge of the situation told the Athletic's Matt Schneidman.
Rodgers, who was traded to the New York Jets in April, is reported to have given the Packers an ultimatum during the 2021 offseason, with team president Mark Murphy refusing to comply with the request nor share it publicly at the time. The source claims the demand played a crucial role in the deterioration of Rodgers relationship with the team's front office, which resulted in two offseasons of speculation regarding his future before finally being traded in 2023.
The Packers sent Rodgers to the Jets as part of a blockbuster trade after the quarterback spent 18 seasons with the franchise. Rodgers had previously announced his intention to play for the Jets during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show prior to the completion of a deal.
Rodgers met with Jets owner Woody Johnson and a contingent of team representatives in California on March 7. New York had previously acquired Rodgers' predecessor, Brett Favre, in a trade with the Packers in 2008, which led to the eventual four-time NFL MVP taking over as Green Bay's starting quarterback for the remainder of his tenure with the franchise.
In January, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the Jets were "a very real scenario" in a possible trade for Rodgers even prior to the recent hiring of Nathaniel Hackett as offensive coordinator, who had previously held the same position in Green Bay and Rodgers had publicly praised following his hiring as the Denver Broncos' head coach last offseason. Rodgers led the NFL's top scoring offense during the first of two consecutive Associated Press Most Valuable Player award-winning seasons in 2020, both of which took place during Hackett's tenure with the Packers.
Rodgers signed a three-year, $150 million extension with the Packers last offseason amid previous reports of being disgruntled with the franchise. The 39-year-old was coming off back-to-back MVP seasons ahead of the 2022 NFL season, which resulted in Green Bay missing the playoffs after clinching a postseason berth during the previous three consecutive seasons and 11 of the past 13 years.
Rodgers leads all Packers quarterbacks with 475 touchdowns and ranks second in franchise history behind only Favre in QB wins (147), completions (5,001) and passing yards (7,660).
Chris Broussard: LeBron Needs to Stop 'Obsessing' Over GOAT Discussions
Jason Smith: Draymond Green & Klay Thompson Will Be Gone This off Season
New Details in Bills QB Josh Allen's Apparent Romance With A-List Actress
Doug Gottlieb Blasts LeBron-to-Warriors Rumors: 'I Know It's NOT Happening'
LeSean McCoy: Lamar Jackson Needs to Reach AFC Title to 'Silence Critics'
Jason Whitlock on LeBron's Future: 'I Think He's Committed to Retirement'
Patrick Mahomes Named His Top 5 Greatest Quarterbacks of All-Time
Colin Cowherd Mocks the 'Narcissism' in Kyrie Irving's IG Live Comments
Jason Whitlock Says 'No One Cares' About Brittney Griner's WNBA Return
Colin Cowherd Floats This Blockbuster NFL Trade Involving Davante Adams