The NFL hot stove is on fire already and will only continue to burn once the Super Bowl has reached its conclusion. A flurry of activity is expected this offseason, unlike any we’ve seen before with quarterbacks highlighting the potential movement.
Even before the Kansas City Chiefs or Tampa Bay Buccaneers raised the Lombardi Trophy, a blockbuster trade was announced when the Lions and Rams swapped Matthew Stafford for Jared Goff and several draft picks. There are plenty of other high-profile quarterbacks positioned to be wearing different uniforms in 2021, a list that could include Deshaun Watson, Carson Wentz, Dak Prescott, Matt Ryan, and Jimmy Garappolo, among others.
That list has also included Aaron Rodgers ever since the Packers were bounced from the playoffs at the hands of Tampa Bay in the NFC Championship. So let’s start there as we examine two of the very best and their immediate futures.
Packers GM Backs Rodgers
Green Bay sent shockwaves through the NFL last spring when they selected Utah State quarterback Jordan Love in the first round of the NFL Draft. Exiting the playoffs before reaching the Super Bowl as the NFC’s top seed did raise more questions about Rodgers’ future in green and gold. But Rodgers did orchestrate an MVP-caliber season, prompting NFL writers to question whether Love was still the heir apparent or trade bait.
Despite his outstanding play this season, Rodgers wondered if his days in Green Bay were numbered, but Packers’ GM Brian Gutekunst finally spoke on the matter, seemingly squashing any talk of moving on from No. 12.
"I don't think I have to do a lot of assuring him because I think, obviously, his play speaks for itself," Gutekunst said Monday.
"I will say this: We're really excited not only for next year but the years to come. He's playing at such a high level that he always has, and I think this year was a special team. It didn't finish like we wanted to finish, but I think everybody's purely motivated to get back, and I think, like I said, I don't think there's anything that we have to do. He's our quarterback, and he's our leader."
Brady Playing Past 45?
Tom Brady’s first season in Tampa Bay has gone just about as good as it could have. He has the Buccaneers playing in the Super Bowl for the first time since 2003 and is appearing in his 10th title game after representing the AFC nine times with the Patriots.
The 43-year old has said on multiple occasions that he would like to continue playing football until the age of 45, but after turning back the clock in 2020, he was asked if he would play beyond that.
"Definitely. I'd definitely consider that," Brady said Monday. "It's a physical sport. Just the perspective I have on that is you never know when that moment is. Just because it's a contact sport. There's a lot of training that goes into it. And it has to be 100 percent commitment from myself to keep doing it."
Brady has been asked to be reflective on numerous occasions over the last week while remaining focused on trying to capture his seventh Super Bowl ring. He signed a 2-year deal with the Bucs this past offseason, worth $50 million.
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