Aaron Rodgers went through a rocky breakup with the Green Bay Packers, but his love for the organization and fans has never left.
Rodgers has spoken glowingly about the Packers this week as he prepares for his first (and likely last) encounter with the team that drafted him. Speaking to the Green Bay media on Thursday, Rodgers all but confirmed his plans to one day retire as a Packer.
"Feel so good about my time there because damn near everything great in my life is because of my football career, and my football career starts, and will end one day, with Green Bay," Rodgers said, via ESPN's Rob Demovsky. "So got a lot of love for all those memories."
Aaron Rodgers says his career will 'end one day' with the Packers
Given the messiness of his exit two years ago and the strained relationship between Rodgers and GM Brian Gutekunst, it never seemed a lock that he'd retire with the Packers. His message to the Green Bay media seems to confirm he wants to.
When Rodgers walks off into the sunset, potentially this upcoming offseason, he will undoubtedly become a first-ballot Packers Hall of Famer (and Pro Football Hall of Famer, for that matter), with his No. 12 jersey being retired.
For now, though, those emotions need to be put to one side. Packers fans spent well over a decade watching Rodgers shred defenses — now he is trying to do it to Jeff Hafley's unit. It's a massive game on Sunday Night Football.
Rodgers has said all the right things about this being no more important than any other game (his former teammate David Bakhtiari doesn't buy that), but he did add that it would've been more special to play against the Packers in Lambeau.
"This one would mean a lot more if it was in Lambeau just because of affection I have for that place and the hallowed ground of Lambeau Field and all the amazing memories that I have there over the years," Rodgers said.
The four-time MVP has remained a Packers fan from the moment he left. He has praised Jordan Love at every opportunity, taking regular shots at the Chicago Bears, and shared nothing but love for his former team.
That will change for one night only under the SNF lights, but win, lose, or tie, Rodgers will one day return home.