Aaron Rodgers has arrived at the New York Jets facility as the next and likely final step of his career begins.
After months of rumors, Rodgers was traded from the Green Bay Packers to the Jets on Monday, ending the four-time MVP’s time playing in front of the crowd at Lambeau Field.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers at Celebrity Flag Football Charity Event at Saddleback College on March 11, 2023 in Orange County, California. (Aubrey Lao/Getty Images)
He will now be tasked with leading a Jets organization that has not made the NFL playoffs in 12 years and has failed to reach the Super Bowl since the 1968 season.
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Rodgers arrived at New York’s football facility Wednesday morning, greeted by owner Woody Johnson, general manager Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh.
The Jets are hopeful that Rodgers’ addition will be the final piece of the puzzle following a wildly disappointing end to the 2022 season.
As 2021 second-overall pick Zach Wilson took a major step back in his second season, the Jets fell out of playoff contention, losing their final six games of the season.
Johnson made it clear he wanted to add a quarterback in free agency, finally agreeing to terms with the Packers on Monday.
The Jets will send the 13th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, a 2023 second-round pick, a 2023 sixth-round pick, and a conditional 2024 second-round pick that becomes a first-round pick if Rodgers plays 65% of the plays in 2023.
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Green Bay will send the 15th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft and a 2023 fifth-round pick to New York.
New York Jets owner Woody Johnson looks on before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on Oct. 2, 2022 in Pittsburgh. (Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
It is a steep price for New York, but one the organization says they are comfortable with after years of losing.
“I mean, obviously, we’re comfortable with how this deal is shaped,” Douglas said Tuesday, according to ESPN. “I don’t think anyone ever walks away from a negotiation where you feel like you won everything in terms of what’s going back and forth. But ultimately our goal from the beginning was to add Aaron to the team and so we were able to get that agreed to and [we’re] just excited to get him here.”
Rodgers posted a lengthy goodbye to Green Bay on Tuesday after 18 seasons of playing for the Packers.
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“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 wrote.
Aaron Rodgers, #12 of the Green Bay Packers, celebrates after a successful two-point conversion against the Chicago Bears during the fourth quarter at Soldier Field on Dec. 4, 2022 in Chicago. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
“To the fans, THANK YOU, you made every run out of the tunnel special, every home game magical, and it was my honor to be your QB,” Rodgers continued.
“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.”
“I will see you again Green Bay, you’ll always have my heart.”
Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report
