Aaron Rodgers makes seven-figure donation to Cal

When Cal fired Jeff Tedford as its head football coach in November of 2012, former Golden Bears quarterback Aaron Rodgers wasn’t very pleased with the move. At all.

“It’s a terrible decision, terrible decision. And I think it’s disrespectful, too,” the Green Bay Packers great said at the time, adding, “it’s just a shame.”

Nearly seven years later, Rodgers has made his peace with the decision to can Tedford, so much so that Cal announced Monday that the quarterback has made a seven-figure donation to his alma mater. Per the school’s release, the gift “will be used to renovate the football locker room and create the Aaron Rodgers Football Scholarship.”

Below is a statement from Rodgers on the donation:

I’m pleased and proud to make this gift to support Cal football. My years at Cal were among the best years of my life. My time in Berkeley created lasting, unforgettable memories. Coach [Justin] Wilcox was on the coaching staff when I was a Bear, and I am excited about the team’s direction with Justin pointing the way. He is a tremendous football coach and an even better role model for his players. I hope that my contribution can help him move this program forward.

Rodgers played quarterback for the Bears from in 2003 and 2004 after transferring in from a California junior college, leading the Bears to a 10-2 record during his last year with the program. Tedford was Rodgers’ head coach during both of his seasons with the Pac-12 school.