Everything felt heavy in Wisconsin that spring. You could almost taste the tension in the air at 1265 Lombardi Avenue. For years, the question wasn't if, but when.
When people search for "Packers release Aaron Rodgers," they’re usually looking for a clean break that never actually happened in the way we traditionally think of a "release." In the NFL, "releasing" a player means you cut them. You hand them their papers, they hit the waiver wire or free agency, and they’re gone.
That didn't happen to No. 12.
The Packers didn't just dump one of the greatest throwers of a football to ever walk the earth. Honestly, they couldn't afford to. The financial gymnastics required to move on from a four-time MVP are enough to make a CPA’s head spin. Instead of a release, we got a blockbuster trade to the New York Jets that fundamentally reshaped two franchises and, frankly, the entire NFC North.
The Breakup: It Wasn't You, It Was Me (and Jordan Love)
Let's be real: the relationship started souring the second Brian Gutekunst traded up to draft Jordan Love in 2020. You don't draft a quarterback in the first round unless you're planning for the end. Rodgers knew it. He even said as much.
"I think the clock started," Rodgers told reporters back then.
He responded by winning two straight MVPs. It was the ultimate "how do you like me now?" move. But by the time 2023 rolled around, the vibe had shifted. Rodgers went into a darkness retreat—literally a dark room in Oregon for four days—to decide his future.
When he came out, he didn't want to retire. He wanted to be a Jet.
The Packers release Aaron Rodgers narrative is really about a "release" of the organization’s commitment to a legend. They decided that three years of Love sitting on the bench was enough. If they didn't play him then, they might never know what they had.
Breaking Down the Trade "Release"
Since this wasn't a standard release, the compensation was massive. If the Packers had just cut him, they would have eaten a dead cap hit that would have basically paralyzed the team. By trading him, they at least got assets back.
Here is how that "release" of his contract actually shook out in terms of what Green Bay received:
- 2023 First-Round Swap: The Packers moved from pick No. 15 up to No. 13 (they used it on Lukas Van Ness).
- 2023 Second-Rounder: Pick No. 42, which became tight end Luke Musgrave.
- 2023 Sixth-Rounder: A late-round flyer.
- 2024 Conditional Second-Rounder: This was the big one. It would have become a first-round pick if Rodgers played 65% of the plays for the Jets.
As we all know, that condition failed in about four snaps when Rodgers tore his Achilles on Monday Night Football. The Packers "only" got a second-round pick in 2024, which they eventually used as part of a package to move around and grab linebacker Edgerrin Cooper.
The Financial Nightmare No One Talks About
You’ve gotta understand the "Dead Money."
When a team moves on from a player of this magnitude, the bill always comes due. Even though he was "released" to the Jets via trade, the Packers had to carry a staggering $40.3 million dead cap hit in 2023.
That is the highest dead cap hit for a single player in NFL history at that time.
Basically, the Packers were paying $40 million for a guy to not play for them. It was the price of freedom. It allowed them to reset their books for 2024 and 2025, clearing the way to build around Jordan Love.
Why People Think He Was Released
The confusion often comes from how the news cycle works. Fans see "Rodgers out in Green Bay" and assume he was cut. Or they see the Jets "releasing" him later in his career (he eventually landed with the Steelers in 2025) and get the timelines mixed up.
In Green Bay, it was a slow-motion divorce.
There were no screaming matches in the parking lot. Just a lot of "he said, she said" through the media. Rodgers went on The Pat McAfee Show and basically forced the Packers' hand. He told the world his intention was to play for New York.
Once that was out there, the Packers lost their leverage. Everyone knew he wasn't coming back.
The Aftermath: Was it the Right Call?
Honestly, looking back from 2026, it's hard to argue with the results for Green Bay. Jordan Love proved he was the real deal. He led them to the playoffs immediately, showing a poise that many fans didn't think was possible after following a legend.
The Packers avoided the "Post-Favre" or "Post-Brady" slump that usually kills franchises for a decade.
On the other side, the Jets' experience was... well, it was the Jets. The Achilles injury in 2023 ruined the first year. 2024 was a mess of coaching changes and locker room drama. By the time Rodgers was unceremoniously dumped by New York and headed to Pittsburgh, the "Packers release" looked like a masterstroke by Gutekunst.
What You Should Do Now
If you're still tracking the impact of the Packers release Aaron Rodgers saga, keep an eye on these specific things:
- Watch the 2026 Salary Cap: The Packers are finally fully "clean" from the Rodgers era. This is the year they can actually spend like a top-tier contender without looking over their shoulder at dead money.
- Monitor Jordan Love's Extension: The money saved by moving Rodgers is exactly what is funding Love's massive long-term deal.
- Check the "Draft Tree": Look at players like Lukas Van Ness and Edgerrin Cooper. Their success or failure is the true final grade of the Rodgers trade.
The era of No. 12 in Green Bay was magical, weird, and ultimately, exhausting. The way it ended wasn't a simple cut. It was a complex, multi-year strategic maneuver that prioritized the future over a sentimental present. It was cold. It was business. It was classic Packers.
The dead cap is gone. The picks are in. The future is Love.
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Basically, the Packers didn't just release a player; they released the weight of an era. And they’re much lighter for it today.
Check the current NFL standings to see how that 2024 draft class—funded by the Rodgers trade—is currently anchoring the Packers' defense. You'll see the fingerprints of this "release" all over the current roster.