Aaron Rodgers might have tried to play it cool on The Pat McAfee Show, but if you listen closely—really listen—you can hear it: the regret. The slow, painful realization that the New York Giants moved on without him, and they’re not looking back.
Rodgers wasn’t talking about legacy. He was talking about football minds, and Brian Daboll’s came up first. That wasn’t by accident. It was admiration, envy, and maybe even a little remorse rolled into one.
"I’m not going to get into specifics about every team that I talked to. It was a few teams … I did talk to Brian Daboll, had good conversation with him. I think he’s a lot of fun to talk to and has a beautiful football mind … he and Josh in Buffalo, you know Josh is one of my closest friends in the league."
Yeah. That doesn’t sound like a guy who was ever fully out on the Giants. That sounds like a guy who blinked and watched Russell Wilson take the gig he could’ve had. You hate to see it, mate.
Russell Wilson beat Aaron Rodgers to New York
Rodgers tried to frame it like he was in control the whole time. Said he was just waiting, juggling things off the field, weighing options. He even said:
“I’m not holding anybody hostage. I really want to emphasize that. I’ve been upfront from the beginning. … I don’t think it was fair to the Steelers or anyone to make a decision while I’m dealing with a lot off the field.”
We don't know what's going on off-field. He alluded to things going on in his inner circle, and we aren't here to judge him for that. And we won't speculate either. But this is a ‘you snooze, you lose’ league, and it sure feels like there’s some regret bubbling under the surface. After all, he missed out on the beautiful football mind of Daboll.
While Rodgers took his time, Joe Schoen did his job and filled the quarterback room. First, he brought back Tommy DeVito. Then it was the ever-electric Jameis Winston. Then the Russ bus. A one-two vet punch that officially closed the door on the Rodgers saga. Not just on Rodgers. On the circus that follows him.
To be fair, Rodgers could’ve fit. For a second, it even made a little sense. Spite the Jets. Reclaim New York. Show the league he’s still got it. But he hesitated. He assumed the Giants would wait, and they didn’t.
Now? The Giants have Wilson. They’ve got the No. 3 pick. They’re doing private workouts with Shedeur Sanders, Jalen Milroe, and Tyler Shough. They’re not waiting on Rodgers to swipe right. They’ve moved on—and the Russ Bus already left the station.
Rodgers wanted everything on his timeline whether he admits it or not... or says the exact opposite on his buddy's show. But football doesn’t always work like that. Especially not in East Rutherford. New York is the city that keeps moving. So yeah, maybe Rodgers doesn’t say it out loud. Maybe he’ll never admit it. But the way he lit up talking about Daboll? That told the whole story.
He missed his shot. And the Giants? They’re doing fine without him.