Some former Green Bay Packers knew about Aaron Rodgers trade decision before the New York Jets did, it turns out.
Keep your friends close, and keep your trade partner far, far away. That was evidently Aaron Rodgers mentality prior to being traded to the New York Jets.
While the Packers and Jets had to agree to the right compensation of a Rodgers trade, including the contractual framework, the actual decision to move the Hall-of-Fame quarterback came down to Rodgers himself.
The new No. 8 — as Rodgers didn’t want to take Joe Namath’s No. 12 — ended up in New York by his own accord. Upon meeting with the Jets front office, Rodgers decided it was a match to end his career as a Jet. However, both he and a few of his former Green Bay teammates may have known prior to Rodgers official announcement on the Pat McAfee Show.
Aaron Rodgers teammates knew he’d welcome trade to Jets
As Albert Breer wrote in a recent column, Allen Lazard, for one, knew he wanted to sign in New York thanks to Rodgers:
"“After agent David Dunn told the Jets that Rodgers wanted to play in New York in the wee hours of the morning of March 13, word of the decisions started to filter out to friends and teammates of the four-time NFL MVP. How much so? Well, once the tampering period opened, Allen Lazard’s agent called Jets GM Joe Douglas and said, basically, Hey, we’re hearing good things. We’re hearing that you’re gonna have a new quarterback soon. We want to come.So that’s how Lazard became a Jet.”"
Whether it was Rodgers wish list or not, somehow word got to Lazard, who made a decision rather quickly once it was legal per NFL rules.
Rodgers certainly didn’t lie to the Jets in any capacity. Nonetheless, how so many of his former Packers teammates ended up in New York remains a fascinating tale.