Aaron Rodgers looks around at older quarterbacks getting chances to keep playing, and he’s encouraged.
Even if a couple of them changing teams late in their careers bugs him a little, as well.
During an interview with Pat McAfee and former teammate A.J. Hawk, the Packers quarterback said the examples of new Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, new Colts quarterback Philip Rivers, and Saints fixture Drew Brees, the 36-year-old Rodgers said he can imagine doing the same.
“How do you not?” Rodgers said of considering playing into his 40s. “I’m not some cliché guy that’s going to talk about taking it year by year. Of course, you look at what Tom’s doing and still able to play at his age and play at a high level, and obviously what Drew has done and Phil getting an opportunity to keep rolling in Indy.
“My thing is, legacy is really important. Having an opportunity to do it all in Green Bay would mean a lot to me. I understand the track record of our squad. There’s been times where we’ve had veteran players and they’ve finished elsewhere. I get it. I’d like to make that decision easy for them.
“The only way to do that is to keep playing at a high level and give them no choice but to keep bringing you back because you’re the best option and give them the best chance to win. That’s my goal. I’ve got four years left on my deal. I’d like to play four at a really, really high level and if I feel like keep on keeping on from that point, to do it.
“I feel confident right now. I’m going to be 40 when the deal ends. I feel like I can keep going after that the way things have been going.”
Rodgers’ contract runs through the 2023 season, during which he’ll turn 40. And while it’s understandable to want to finish where he started, seeing Brady and Rivers (and Brett Favre because of Rodgers) have final chapters elsewhere has to give him pause.