ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 22: Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers walks off the field after being defeated by the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome on January 22, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Falcons defeated the Packers 44-21. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Aaron Rodgers isn’t thinking about retirement anytime soon, nor should he. He does, however, recognize the lifespan of his NFL career is not infinite. With that in mind, Rodgers acknowledged he is getting ready to head into what he referred to as the “back nine” of his career.

“I think I’m on the back nine of my career,” Rodgers said Tuesday in an interview with NFL Network’s Alex Flanagan at the Gatorade Player of the Year awards. “But I think I’m just kind of starting the back nine. This will be my 10th year starting, I got to sit for three years. So I’m not the typical 13-year pro, having the opportunity to sit for three years and not take the wear and tear to learn the game.”

It is fitting Rodgers used a golf term to describe the current state of his football career, because he is a golf fan and is set to participate in the American Century Championship coming up. Rodgers still has plenty to offer on the NFL field as we witnessed last season. Rodgers passed for 40 touchdowns with just seven interceptions, proving to be one of the top passers in the game today.

Rodgers, along with Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger, is pretty much is bridging the gap between the league’s elder statesmen like Tom Brady and the young franchise quarterbacks establishing themselves, like Dak Prescott, Carson Wentz, Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston, and Derek Carr.

“I think we all have numbers,” Rodgers said. “When I was a young player, I remember thinking as I looked at some of the older guys, if I got to five that’d be cool, or eight, or anything after 10 would be amazing. For me, I think the longevity is tied to being a Green Bay Packer. I’d like to finish my career in Green Bay.”

As Rodgers continues to play, the Green Bay Packers could enter some familiar territory. It’s not time to think the Packers are going to mess with their quarterback situation the way they once did with Brett Favre and Rodgers, but the reality of the situation should not be lost on Rodgers if the time comes when the Packers pick up a quarterback with an early round pick.

But for now, Rodgers is just focused on helping his team get off to a faster start to the season after finishing the second half of the 2016 season on a hot streak to overcome a disaster of a start.

[NFL Network]

About Kevin McGuire

Contributor to Athlon Sports and The Comeback. Previously contributed to NBCSports.com. Host of the Locked On Nittany Lions Podcast. FWAA member and Philadelphia-area resident.