How the Lions officially ended the Aaron Rodgers era in Green Bay

At long last Aaron Rodgers’ 18-year tenure with the Green Bay Packers has finally come to a close. NFC teams everywhere have an extra reason to celebrate on Monday, but not before sending the Detroit Lions a thank you note. News of a trade sending Rodgers to the New York Jets was first reported by […]

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At long last Aaron Rodgers’ 18-year tenure with the Green Bay Packers has finally come to a close. NFC teams everywhere have an extra reason to celebrate on Monday, but not before sending the Detroit Lions a thank you note.

News of a trade sending Rodgers to the New York Jets was first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Green Bay receives a hefty draft haul in exchange for the four-time MVP.

Packers Receive:

  • 2023 First-Round Pick (No. 13 overall)
  • 2023 Second-Round Pick (No. 42)
  • 2023 Sixth-Round Pick (No. 207)
  • 2024 Conditional Second-Round Pick (Becomes first-round pick if Rodgers plays 65 percent of snaps)

Jets Receive:

  • QB Aaron Rodgers
  • 2023 First-Round Pick (No. 15 overall)
  • 2023 Fifth-Round Pick (No. 170)

It’s fair to question whether this trade would have occurred if the Lions hadn’t ended Green Bay’s season with a win in Week 18 keeping the Packers out of the playoffs. In fact, Lions safety Kerby Joseph played the biggest role in Green Bay’s demise last season.

Joseph intercepted Rodgers three times in 2022, including what has now become Rodgers’ final pass as a Packer. 

Fans could feel a palpable change in the dynamic of this rivalry as the 2022 season came to an end, especially considering Rodgers holds an 18-8 record against the Lions. Who knows what might've happened had Rodgers and the Packers beat Detroit and marched on to the postseason.

After the game Joseph made it clear that he would be holding onto the ball just in case it was indeed Rodgers’ last one in Green Bay. “If that’s his last pass, I’m saving that ball and I’m going to send it to him so he can sign it,” Joseph said after the game. “But if he don’t sign it, I understand. But I doubt he’s going to retire. He’s probably going to try to come back, and if he comes back, more plays for me.”

With Rodgers now out of the picture, Joseph can turn his attention to Jordan Love. If Love isn’t careful, he might be the next signal caller Joseph and the Lions run out of town.

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