Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers kept the organization on edge all offseason. Rumors swirled that he would not return under center for the team in 2021 and that he was hoping to play for another organization.
Despite all of the chatter, the Packers held strong. They were confident in the roster they built and were confident he would return to the team. Their gamble worked, as Rodgers will be the starting quarterback for the team this season.
With Rodgers under center, the Packers are once again among the handful of teams with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. What can we expect from Rodgers in his 17th NFL season and his 14th as the team’s starter?
Here are three bold predictions for Rodgers’ 2021 season.
3. Rodgers Keeps 13-Win Streak Going
While some adjustments needed to be made when Matt LaFleur took over as head coach from Mike McCarthy, the team has found plenty of success in his first two seasons.
The team has won 13 games in each of LaFleur’s two seasons as head coach. Unfortunately, both seasons have ended with losses in the NFC Championship Game. In his first year, the Packers lost to the San Francisco 49ers at Levi Stadium. Last season, the team earned home-field advantage but they were upended by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Lambeau Field.
This year, Rodgers will find plenty of success again. The Packers will again win 13 games in the season and take home the NFC North crown for the eighth time in his career.
2. Slight Drop In Statistics
Aaron Rodgers showed just how much he had left in the tank last season. Green Bay selecting his presumed heir apparent in Jordan Love with their first-round pick may have motivated Rodgers.
He was dominant in 2020, completing 70.7 percent of his passes, a career-high, for 4,299 yards and a league and career-high 48 touchdowns. This season, Rodgers will still be productive, his numbers will drop off a little from that MVP-winning campaign.
The Packers will rely a little more on the ground game with Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon, not needing Rodgers to bail them out as much. He will throw for just about 4,000 yards with 35 touchdown passes in 2021.
1. Starts His Last Game In Green and Gold
The Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers were able to agree so that he will return to the team for the 2021 season. However, the team reportedly said it will honor his trade request in 2022 should he still want to leave the team.
Rodgers will take the front office up on that gesture and he will part ways with the organization during the 2022 offseason. That means the postseason will be the last time that Rodgers wears Packers’ green and gold in his career.
Green Bay will begin the Jordan Love era during the 2022 season, while Rodgers will be playing elsewhere. The Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers and Las Vegas Raiders are a handful of teams to keep an eye on.
