Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers faced questions about whether he wanted to sit out the final two games of the season this week and said he had no desire to sit out even though the team was out of the playoff race.
So Rodgers was on the field against the Jets on Sunday and he threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Davante Adams in overtime to cap a comeback from 15 points down in the third quarter. After the 44-38 win, Rodgers said he was glad he played because “you never know how many opportunities you’re going to get” and shared more of his thoughts about why it was important to play.
“That it matters,” Rodgers said. “That even when the record isn’t great and you’re not going to the playoffs, it still matters. That I have a lot of pride. I love competing in anything. Like I said on the field after the game, I don’t want to look back in 20 years and wonder what if I’d played in that game? Could something special have happened? What it would look like to my teammates if they knew I kind of quit on them? So, I hope my teammates know that I’m never going to quit on them? I’m about to give everything that I’ve got and they did the same.”
Rodgers threw for 442 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 32 yards and two touchdowns over the course of the game. He also said that he has “another week in me” with the Lions on the schedule for the season finale.