#Aaron Rodgers turned down Packers’ offer to become NFL’s highest-paid quarterback

Not even a colossal paycheck could repair Aaron Rodgers’ relationship with the Packers.

It’s no secret that Rodgers has been at odds with his team of 16 years, and Green Bay is seemingly scrambling to retain their starting quarterback. They’ve publicly expressed how much they value the reigning NFL MVP, and according to The Athletic, the Packers put their money where their mouth is by offering to make him the league’s highest paid QB.

The report doesn’t say when the offer came, only that it happened in “recent months.” And, Rodgers turned it down.

But the organization was willing to give him more than $45 million per year, which nearly doubles the $21.5 million that the 37-year-old is set to make in 2021. Green Bay was so desperate to hang on to Rodgers they were ready to give him a contract that surpassed Patrick Mahomes’ in terms of yearly value, who signed a 10-year, $450 million extension with the Chiefs in July.

It is unclear what the length of the deal would have been. Rodgers has made it clear he’s not going to sign a one-year deal, so if the Packers offered a contract that made him the highest-paid quarterback in just 2021 with no further guarantees, he likely said no.

Rodgers, who has two years left on his contract for a non-guaranteed $51 million, has reportedly wanted the team to give him a new contract that would ensure he is the starting QB beyond 2021. But the Packers could pick up roughly $22 million in cap space if they cut him after the upcoming season.

And when the organization traded up in the first round of last year’s draft to take Utah State quarterback Jordan Love, Rodgers was seemingly put on notice, and admitted he was caught off guard. It’s clearly led to further strain on the relationship.