Packers Offer Heartfelt Farewell to Aaron Rodgers With Touching Tribute Video
The Packers shared a heartfelt video on Wednesday of former quarterback Aaron Rodgers after trading the longtime quarterback to the Jets this week after 18 seasons together.
Moments before Rodgers began his first news conference with New York, Green Bay posted a video of the four-time NFL MVP, highlighting some of his earliest moments with the franchise. Among the highlights of the video were clips of his memorable slip to No. 24 in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft, various NFC North battles and the Packers’ Super Bowl XLV run.
In the video, players shared their reflections of the 39-year-old, saying he was “one of the greatest competitors”, “one of the best to do it” and that “he will always be a Packer.”
“…It is his competitive greatness, leadership and toughness that make him [Aaron Rodgers] such a special player and person,” Gutekunst said in a team statement that was released alongside the video on Wednesday. “We wish Aaron nothing but success and look forward to welcoming him back to Green Bay in the future and celebrating his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”
Gratitude.
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 26, 2023
Thank you for everything, @AaronRodgers12. pic.twitter.com/vzTfpyKQ3U
Packers coach Matt LaFleur said he was “grateful” for his time with Rodgers and that he ultimately made him a better coach.
“The mark he left on our organization, players and coaches cannot be overstated,” LaFleur said. “…. I will never forget his post-practice interactions with our families. His ability to connect with kids, including my own, was a great example for our locker room. He was and will always be a great representative of the ‘G’ and what it means to be a Green Bay Packer!”
In Rodgers’s 18 seasons, 15 of which came as a starter, Green Bay made the playoffs 11 times, won eight NFC North titles and one Super Bowl. Rodgers threw for a franchise-record 475 passing touchdowns while with Green Bay, the third-most by a quarterback in NFL history with a single franchise.
Now with the Jets, the 39-year-old will look to begin a new chapter this upcoming season and add to his remarkable career with a different team.