He Gone
This moment between Aaron Rodgers and Jameson Williams may be the clue to Rodgers' future as a Packer
At the conclusion of the Green Bay Packers' shocking loss to the Detroit Lions with the playoffs on the line on Sunday night, NBC cameras captured a touching moment between Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver Randall Cobb. The duo, teammates from 2011 to 2018 and then again for the last two seasons, walked arm in arm all the way into the locker room, a moment seemingly so emotional that Rodgers waved a camera out of his face as if he was asking to be left alone:
Naturally, the speculation begun. While this could simply be two buddies consoling each other after a brutal end to another regular season, you had to wonder not only if this was the last time they played together, but both of their final games as Green Bay Packers. Cobb's best years are clearly behind him, and while he is under contract for another year, could very well end up getting cut at 32 years old.
As for Rodgers, we've certainly done this dance before. Will the Packers finally cut ties after another disappointing year and ship him to a suitor like the Las Vegas Raiders or the New York Jets? The 39-year-old still has four years left on his deal, but, much like they were at the end of Brett Favre's tenure, the Packers may be ready to move on to their QB in waiting, Jordan Love.
Before he and Cobb headed to the locker room, there may have been an even bigger clue about No. 12's future. A number of Lions players came over to embrace the legend before he walked off, including rookie wide receiver Jameson Williams, who, in the clip below, seems to ask Rodgers if they can swap jerseys, only for Rodgers to respond "I got to hold on to this one." Williams, incredulously, says "you told me!!":
Ahhh, very interesting. Is Rodgers implying that's the last Packers jersey he'll ever wear? Given the fact that he and Williams clearly agreed to a jersey exchange before the game, which Rodgers probably thought he was going to win, the implication is quite strong.
Then again, we know a part of Rodgers gets off to the constant speculation, and dropping that hint directly in front of a NBC camera (one he slapped away minutes later) is a little too convenient. Let's all spend the next five-to-six months discussing where he'll end up next only for him to end up back in Green Bay next year like always.