Aaron Rodgers fuels retirement talks by refusing to swap jerseys after Packers loss ended playoff hope

Aaron Rodgers has fueled discussion about his retirement from professional football after refusing to swap jerseys with Jameson Williams after the Detroit Lions defeated the Green Bay Packers 20-16 to eliminate them from the playoffs.

After the game, the reigning back-to-back MVP admitted he’s unsure about his future and needs to take his time to figure out what’s for the best.

Though otherwise unclear, Rodgers reiterated that he will not be holding the Packers “hostage” as speculation mounts about his future at Green Bay after another late-season failure.

Williams was caught on camera after the game asking Rodgers if he could have his jersey, to which the 39-year-old Packers quarterback said: “I’ve got to hold on to this one.”

Many fans felt there was only one reason Rodgers wanted the jersey after a brutal loss to his division rival that ended Green Bay’s season just before the postseason.

Aaron Rodgers left Lambeau disappointed for the last time this season after Detroit’s win

Rodgers walked down the tunnel at Lambeau Field, dovetailing with wideout Randall Cobb (R)

After the game, Rodgers expressed his feelings and offered to refuse to close the door on a future in the NFL — maybe one outside of Wisconsin.

“I mean, it’s a little raw right now,” he said. “It’s a bit out of the game, I want to take the emotions out, have conversations and see where the organization stands.

“I will not hold them hostage, I understand that here we are still in January, March is free rein. I just need some time to get the emotions out and figure out what’s best. There has to be reciprocity, on both sides.’

Would the Packer legend consider a move to another franchise?

“I don’t know,” Rodgers admitted. “I don’t like to say never, but first I need to see how I feel when the emptiness is over. Have the right conversations and see what the best direction is.

Rodgers walked off the field with his good friend Cobb at Titletown after a disappointing loss

“I’m very proud of what I’ve achieved in this league. I obviously didn’t make it tonight. You don’t want to lose your last game and miss the playoffs, but this is a great job, it’s a really tough business, and it doesn’t always end with a rainbow for people.

Rodgers’ season wasn’t supposed to end like this if the Packers were on the rise in the second half of the season.

They came into the home game against Detroit on a four-game winning streak and were widely seen as a threat for the upcoming season. Except they won’t be there.

“It’s been a frustrating season at times, but there have been some really beautiful moments, it’s weird to say, but I really believe in it,” Rodgers said after the season-ending loss.

“As disappointing as that is, there were some incredible moments and life lessons. As much as that’s a real s*** feeling, I’m thankful for the season, the friendships, new friendships on and off the pitch. That’s the beauty of this game and I’m grateful for that.”

Leaving Lambeau Field feeling hollow in January is not uncommon for the Packers and Rodgers in recent years. For the past two seasons, Green Bay lost at home as the NFC No. 1.

Jameson Williams approached Rogers after the game and asked about his jersey after the Lions won

In 2020, Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Bucs won the NFC Championship Game before Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers dealt with Green Bay in last season’s NFC Divisional Playoff.

Now they won’t even be a footnote in the playoffs. His playoff history will remain untold.

And given his post-game reaction, Rodgers’ career may have seen its final chapter in Green Bay.

Just this week, Rodgers was philosophical while discussing the upcoming win-and-in game against Detroit. He also left some hints that retirement was on his mind somewhere.

Rodgers & the Packers missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2018 NFL season

“You don’t know what the future holds,” Rodgers told reporters Wednesday. “But when I think about it, it’s nothing but gratitude.

“No regrets or sadness just gratitude for the time I’ve been here, the amazing memories I’ve had in this field.

“There were a lot of great moments, but I’m still undecided [about next season]. We are all undecided about the future. I’m just going to enjoy Sunday night and hopefully have some more to play with.

The Packers QB threw a crucial interception in the fourth quarter with the Lions leading

Rodgers has also spoken publicly about his use of ayahuasca in the past – and the apparent positive effects it has on his game.

South American hallucinogenic tea is touted as an alternative treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, with shamans considering the psychedelic a “wisdom plant” that allows entry into the spiritual world.

“I did ayahuasca in 2020 and won two MVPs,” Rodgers told Fox Sports in September. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence. I don’t really believe in coincidences.

“I believe in science and synchronicities and I really feel like that has allowed me to have a greater love for the game I play, a greater love for my teammates and I had maybe my best season in 2020 career and then followed up with an even greater integration of many of those lessons last year.’

Ayahuasca is a South American psychoactive brew used in shamanic spiritual medicine