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Aaron Rodgers had a dream run in the 2020 and 2021 seasons, becoming only the second player in this century to win back-to-back MVP awards after Peyton Manning. But his 2022 season was abysmal, which resulted in him dropping 48 spots to a new low in the latest NFL rankings released for 2023. It came as a surprise considering that Rodgers is one of the greatest QBs, and also the most likely future HoFer.
The Jets recently signed Rodgers and then restructured his contract, resulting in a $35 million pay cut for him. But the big question most NFL fans are concerned about is, what went down with his performance that he couldn’t find a spot in the top 50?
NFL rankings for the 2023 season are out now. Retired legend Tom Brady, who went out in style again, topped the list. Meanwhile, 2022 MVP Patrick Mahomes dropped to #8 (from #1) despite a championship season. But this is not even the highest drop for any player in the NFL rankings this year. Aaron Rodgers dropped to 51, 48 spots down from his 3rd rank in the 2022 list.
Aaron Rodgers, while playing as quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, had an outstanding season for the Packers in the 2020 season. Statistically, Rodgers led the league in various categories, including passing touchdowns and passer rating, highlighting his accuracy and decision-making abilities. His contributions earned him the prestigious NFL MVP award for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. His 2021 season was slightly below his previous year’s performance. Nevertheless, it was good enough to secure him another MVP award. Rodgers is a 4x NFL MVP if one looks back at the 2011 and 2014 seasons and a 1x SB MVP.
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However, Rodgers’ 2022 season was abysmal compared to the standards he had set. From a thumb injury hampering his QB s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁s to an inconsistent play, Rodgers’ stars didn’t really fall in place the last two seasons. His passer rating dropped to 91.1, the lowest of his career when the team switched away from Coach LaFleur’s preferred offensive style.
It resulted in Rodgers calling time to his 18 years stay at Packers and moving to the Jets so he could “win immediately”. The Jets legend Joe Namath praised him for taking a pay cut, expressing that Rodgers’ move reflected his great character.
Rodgers agrees to a $35 million pay cut for a greater cause
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Veteran NFL player Rodgers has earned over $300 million from the NFL so far and made headlines in 2018 when he made nearly $69 million in 2018. He was promised $110 million from his deal with the Jets in 2023, but he eventually agreed to a $35 million pay cut through restructuring. His current pay is only $8.89 million annually (excluding bonuses and incentives) which is even less than backup QB Zach Wilson’s $9.6 million.
USA Today via Reuters
The pay cut allows the Jets to allocate a salary cap toward acquiring other resources. Rodgers has already set his goals toward winning a Super Bowl with the Jets, as highlighted by his agent Leigh Steinberg. Well, four times MVP is not the only one to go ahead with a restructured contract. Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Patrick Mahomes have all done it in the past for the same reason.
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The Jets and Rodgers seem upbeat this time to welcome a whole new season. Their dedication is so high that they showed dissent at even being part of the NFL’s Hard Knocks show, as they gear up for a greater cause. The Jets start their season against the Browns on August 4th.
