Aside from being one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL, Aaron Rodgers also seems to fit this description: He has a need for people to see him as interesting, and he enjoys the attention that comes from his attempts to prove it.
Heading into darkness, Aaron Rodgers keeps himself in the spotlight
The Packers quarterback is going on a four-day "darkness retreat" to decide his football future. But it's easy to see how this all might play out.
February 8, 2023 at 5:51PM
The latest: Rodgers' revelation Tuesday on "The Pat McAfee Show" that he intends to embark on a four-day "darkness retreat" following the Super Bowl as a means of gaining clarity about his future.
On one hand, this is interesting. A sort of prolonged meditative experience might sound pretty good to a lot of us (myself included) in a world increasingly filled with noise and obsessed with efficiency.
"It's just kind of sitting in silence, which most of us never do," Rodgers said on the show. "We rarely even turn our phone off or put the blinds down to sleep in darkness."
And yet the process of telling us about his plan in advance reveals as much (or more) about Rodgers than the retreat itself. As he heads toward darkness, Rodgers can't help but shine a light on himself.
First off, the need to be seen as interesting as a means of seeking attention — with this darkness story capturing headlines during Super Bowl week — should tell us that Rodgers is not going to retire even if he says the option "is a real thing."
That would mean walking away from the spotlight (and a lot of money) while he still has good football left to play AND it would mean being eligible for the Hall of Fame the same year as Tom Brady — with the risk of being overshadowed.
So the true options on the table for Rodgers are staying with the Packers or seeking a trade. Oddsmakers suggest the two most likely trade partners are the Raiders and Jets, and both of those are splashy destinations where he would be coveted and could chase a second Super Bowl ring.
After struggling to an 8-9 finish last season, the Packers might be a contender in 2023 if Rodgers returns to full health and the playmakers around him produce more. But Rodgers wants to feel wanted, and a trade does seem like it makes more sense now than it ever has.
We'll know soon enough.
Rodgers says he's "really looking forward" to the four days of darkness. If it means four days where he can't be in the spotlight, I'm looking forward to it as well.
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