Packers: What Tom Brady’s retirement could mean for Aaron Rodgers

So, there we have it. Future Hall-of-Famer Tom Brady has announced his retirement after the most incredible of careers, but what could it mean for Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers?

Like Brady, Rodgers’ team was surprisingly eliminated in the divisional round of the playoffs. And, also like Brady, Rodgers enters this offseason with uncertainty over his future.

Will Rodgers follow Brady and retire? Will he request a trade elsewhere? Or will Rodgers decide to stay in Green Bay?

If Rodgers decides to keep playing, could Brady’s decision make him more likely to remain in Green Bay?

Think about it. If Rodgers gets traded, it will almost certainly be to an AFC team. The Packers won’t want to trade him within the NFC.

Potential landing spots include the Denver Broncos and Cleveland Browns. If it’s Denver, he would be playing in a division featuring Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert. In Cleveland, he would face Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson twice a year.

No matter which AFC team he plays for, the conference is loaded with talent at the quarterback position. Mahomes, Burrow, Jackson, Herbert, Josh Allen. Reaching the Super Bowl from the AFC couldn’t be more challenging — just ask the Kansas City Chiefs.

Advancing in the NFC isn’t easy, of course, but it would be hard for Rodgers to find a better opportunity in 2022 than Green Bay.

With Brady retiring, one of the NFC’s biggest contenders is likely to enter a rebuilding period. Tampa Bay was the No. 2 seed after winning the Super Bowl a year ago. The Bucs’ Super Bowl window has slammed shut with Brady gone.

For the Packers, they would be strong favorites in the NFC North. The Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings are starting over with new coaches. The Detroit Lions are still a long way off.

Win the NFC North and Rodgers would have at least one home playoff game in Green Bay. Overcoming the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, or Dallas Cowboys in January wouldn’t be easy. Maybe the Arizona Cardinals or Philadelphia Eagles take a step forward in 2022.

But compare that to the situation in the AFC.

No matter where Rodgers lands, there’s no guarantee he even wins his division.

Take Denver as an example. Beating the dominant Chiefs for the AFC West would be a monumental challenge. Rodgers’ Broncos could then be a wild-card team having to win three road games against the likes of the Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens, or Indianapolis Colts. And that’s just some of the potential contenders in the conference.

With Brady leaving Tampa Bay, the NFC has one fewer Super Bowl contender.

If Rodgers continues to play in 2022, there’s every chance the grass isn’t greener anywhere outside of the Green Bay Packers.