Aaron Rodgers Andrew H. Walker/Shutterstock
Aaron Rodgers‘ move from the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets comes with a big change — a pay cut.
The professional quarterback, 39, signed a restructured two-year contract with his new team which guarantees him a $75 million paycheck, according to NFL Network and ESPN. The amount, however, is $35 million less than what Rodgers would have earned if he finished his 4-year-deal with the Packers, which had $110 million remaining in the contract.
“The team gave up significant pieces for it to be just a one-year deal. I’m aware of that. Anything could happen with my body or the success we have this year, but I’m having a blast, so I really don’t see this as a one-year-and-done thing,” Rodgers told ESPN on Wednesday, July 26. “We’ve all turned the page. It’s a new chapter. I think it’s going to be exciting for Green Bay, moving on. It’s definitely been really fun for me out here.”
Rodgers is set to receive a $35 million roster bonus and $1.8 million in salary with his Packers contract. His earning will be bumped up to $38.2 million once he is one year into his deal with the football team.
Aaron Rodgers Darren Lee/CSM/Shutterstock
After over a decade with the Packers, Rodgers announced in April that he was traded to the Jets.
“I’m not sure it’s possible to fully express the gratitude that I have to the @packers , our incredible fans, the state of Wisconsin, the thousands of players that I crossed paths with, the incredible men and women who work for the organization, and the amazing people who I got to meet along the way, in one post with 10 pictures, but I hope you read this and feel my heart and soul, filled with love, joy, and peace about my time in green and gold. 💚💛,” he wrote via Instagram at the time. “I grew up in Green Bay, drafted at 21, fell in love with the game, met some lifelong friends, and take with me memories that will last a lifetime.”
Rodgers added: “To the fans, THANK YOU, you made every run out of the tunnel special, every home game magical, and it was my honor to be your QB. To my teammates, I love you all, and am thankful for the moments on and off the field that brought us close. I played with legends, I played with friends; thanks for believing in me and having my back always ❤️ This is not the end for us, I will see you again Green Bay, you’ll always have my heart ❤️.”