The unsure future for Aaron Rodgers in Inexperienced Bay

“I do not need to be a part of a rebuild if I hold enjoying,” Rodgers stated.

Assuming he even desires to play, Rodgers will query whether or not his need to affix one other staff close to the tip of an ideal profession — like Brady did after leaving the New England Patriots — trumps his need to affix one staff staying that might nonetheless supply him one of the best likelihood of successful subsequent season and past. Potential prospects like Denver and Las Vegas are scrambling for brand new coaches, and their rosters — not counting the trouble it might take to amass Rodgers — pale compared to the assemblage of expertise Gutekunst has constructed and sure will proceed to construct.

“Clearly we wish him again right here,” stated coach Matt LaFleur. “I feel we might be loopy to not need him right here.”

Talking all in black on a video convention name, Rodgers did not need to take into consideration something subsequent or his legacy past the friendships he is shaped. He regretted his function in Saturday’s offensive malfunction — Inexperienced Bay scoring on its opening run, a 6-yard run by AJ Dillon, however not once more till early within the fourth quarter — and likewise within the collapse of the Packers’ particular groups.

With one of many league’s worst runs all season, Inexperienced Bay had blocked a discipline objective try simply earlier than halftime, then — after tamping San Francisco into fourth on the Packers 19 — he allowed Jordan Willis to take the road to penetrate and block Corey Bojorquez’s punt with lower than 5 minutes remaining. Talanoa Hufanga grabbed the ball and threw it again 6 yards to equalize 10-10.

Twice earlier within the postseason, Rodgers has led a game-winning drive. In Week 3 of this season, he constructed one towards the identical 49ers. However in his ultimate possession on Saturday evening, the Packers faltered when Rodgers threw a deep move into third in direction of Adams into double cowl, which he later stated ought to have been thrown at Allen Lazard. After San Francisco took their 29 by 3:20, Garoppolo, who was enjoying with a torn ligament in his proper thumb and a sprained proper shoulder, drove San Francisco 44 yards in 9 video games to arrange Gould’s successful shot.

The Packers, who solely had 10 males on the sphere, trudged alongside the sidelines. Rodgers shook palms and congratulated the 49ers and left the sphere for what may need been his final time as a Packer.

Simply two months in the past, after getting back from the 10-day isolation that got here together with his optimistic coronavirus check, Rodgers introduced the enjoyment and gratitude he felt — for refusing to take such moments without any consideration. His future, like this time final yr, stays a “lovely thriller”.

And it has arrived a lot faster than he anticipated.

“That is life typically,” Rodgers stated. “You assume issues are getting in a sure route and so they’re making an enormous course correction and also you simply must hold going and transferring ahead, even when you do not assume it is doable.”