Aaron Rodgers staying with Packers, NFL world reacts

The decision is in. After months of rumors and reports, Aaron Rodgers has decided to return to the Green Bay Packers.

Pat McAfee, who has Rodgers on his show every Tuesday, was the first to announce that the two-time defending NFL MVP would choose to come back to Green Bay rather than retire or play elsewhere.

BREAKING: According to my sources.. @AaronRodgers12 will officially be returning to the Green Bay Packers.

There is no deal in place currently but there is said to be a Cap Friendly deal on the way.

Retirement was a real consideration & in the end

🗣 HE IS BACK WITH THE PACK pic.twitter.com/1lpdcLxyPL

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 8, 2022

“According to my sources…[Aaron Rodgers] will officially be returning to the Green Bay Packers,” wrote McAfee. “There is no deal in place currently but there is said to be a cap-friendly deal on the way.”

One minute later, NFL insider Ian Rapoport added some specifics to the announcement as well as the news that a deal had, in fact, been agreed upon.

The #Packers and MVP QB Aaron Rodgers have agreed to terms on a 4-year, $200M deal that makes him the highest paid player in NFL history, sources say. He gets a whopping $153M guaranteed and his cap number goes down. A monstrous commitment by GB for years to come. 💰 💰 💰

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2022

“The Packers and MVP QB Aaron Rodgers have agreed to terms on a 4-year, $200M deal that makes him the highest-paid player in NFL history, sources say,” per Rapoport. “He gets a whopping $153M guaranteed and his cap number goes down. A monstrous commitment by GB for years to come.”

However, McAfee then responded a few minutes later to say that, per his sources, the numbers that Rapoport noted are “not accurate.”

News of a “4 year $200,000,000 Million deal” is not accurate… according to my sources 🤷🏼‍♂️

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 8, 2022

Both McAfee and Rapoport said that retirement was a consideration for Rodgers, who is coming of a season that was extremely unique, to say the least. However, returning to the Packers did seem like the inevitable conclusion for the 38-year-old quarterback, who will presumably now play out his career in Green Bay.

Much more to come on this, we’re sure, but in the meantime, the news that Rodgers was staying put caused a ton of reactions around the NFL world.

Aaron Rodgers with a masterclass in complain a ton, whine even more and get exactly what you want

— B.W. Carlin (@BaileyCarlin) March 8, 2022

Aaron Rodgers is no dummy. He saw the landscape of the AFC and wanted no part of it, especially the AFC West.

Many more Caleb Hanies in the NFC.

— Adam Rank (@adamrank) March 8, 2022

https://twitter.com/HollyAnderson/status/1501241466752061445

Two years ago, Tom Brady signed a two-year, $50 million contract with the Buccaneers.

Aaron Rodgers' deal is four years, $200 million ($50M APY), per @RapSheet.

Brady's contract was seriously one of the biggest bargains in NFL history.

— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) March 8, 2022

Wait, so Aaron Rodgers *didn't* want to turn down $153 million guaranteed to play for a new team that shares a division with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert and would need to give up major draft picks and marquee players just to trade for him? Shocked, I tell you, shocked https://t.co/xaPeeRHTDk

— Stephen Thompson (@idislikestephen) March 8, 2022

Aaron Rodgers can now afford to put gas in his car.

— Robin Lundberg (@robinlundberg) March 8, 2022

old Aaron Rodgers, he just wants to retire…

…suddenly agrees to play 4 more years after getting $153,000,000 guaranteed pic.twitter.com/zAwhVNUgm4

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) March 8, 2022

[Ian Rapoport, Pat McAfee]