Matt LaFleur addresses Aaron Rodgers future with the Packers

As the Green Bay Packers prepare for the offseason thanks to an early exit of the NFL playoffs at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers, fans of the team are wondering what’s next for quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Before the season started, there was discontent with Rodgers and the front office, but the two sides were able to reconcile their differences, at least for this year. The 38-year-old vet has not removed any options off the table, including retiring.

After their 13-10 loss to the 49ers, head coach Matt LaFleur briefly opened up on the looming Rodgers decision. And on Monday, LaFleur wasn’t finished.

“I sat down and talked to Aaron today for quite some time. I think we’re all a little numb to the situation right now and, so, I would say that what we talked about, I’m definitely gonna keep between him and myself, but we’re hopeful that he’ll be back next year, obviously,” LaFleur said.

“This guy has done so much for such a long period of time for this organization, for this city, for this team, and, so, I want to be respectful of his process. Whatever he needs to go through to make the best decision for himself, and, certainly, we would love for him to be a Packer and be a Packer until the day he decides to retire.”

NFL Insider provides Aaron Rodgers update

Following their narrow loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Green Bay Packers are on the brink of massive change. The organization waits on word from quarterback Aaron Rodgers about his future plans, whether that entails another year at Lambeau, a trade or retirement.

NFL insider Peter King shared his thoughts on the situation in his Football Morning in America column. He likens the moment to Brett Favre’s departure from the Pack.

“The weird, painful symmetry of Rodgers and predecessor Brett Favre cries out,” King wrote of Aaron Rodgers. “Fourteen years and two days previous to Saturday night’s game, Favre’s 14-3 Packers lost to the Giants on a Lawrence Tynes 47-yard field goal as time expired in a minus-23 wind-chill game. Here, Rodgers’ 13-4 Packers lost to the Niners on a 45-yard field goal as time expired in a zero wind-chill game. If this was Rodgers’ last game as a Packer, it will be hauntingly familiar to Favre’s.”

Despite the similarities between Favre 14 years ago and Aaron Rodgers now, King remains unsure of what the reigning NFL MVP will do.

“He could request a trade in the coming weeks and the Packers would have to oblige, or he could play one more year and be an unrestricted free-agent in 2023 at 39, or he could quit now,” King wrote. “’I’ll have conversations [with Packer management] in the next week or so and start to contemplate after that,’” he said after the game. No sign of which way he’s leaning, but he did say he didn’t want to be part of a rebuild.”