There were a multitude of factors that led to the Green Bay Packers agree to trade quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets.
Who was motivated by the San Francisco 49ers?
Rodgers cited coach Robert Saleh and his work as defensive coordinator with the 49ers from 2017-20 as one of the factors that drew him to New York.
“We practiced against them a couple of years ago and I got to know Robert a little bit more and I’ve always liked everything he does,” Rodgers told reporters at his introductory news conference on Wednesday. “We played him in San Fran a couple of times and they mostly got the better of us, but I liked the way he was leading, the coaching style of him.
The Packers were able to get a 33-30 win over the 49ers in 2018 at Lambeau Field. However, San Francisco dominated Green Bay in the 2019 regular season contest, 37-8 at Levi’s Stadium. In the 2019 NFC Championship Game, the 49ers defeated the visiting Packers 37-20 when Rodgers didn’t get Green Bay on the board until 8:44 to go in the third quarter. The 49ers already led 27-0 at the time.
Green Bay got the last laugh against Saleh as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator in 2020, topping San Francisco 34-17 on a Thursday night at Levi’s Stadium. But Saleh impressed in 2022 as the Jets’ coach when New York beat the Packers 27-10 at Lambeu Field in Week 6.
Rodgers sees himself as an old man on the team, despite being a high-profile acquisition for the organization.
“I’m an older guy, so I want to be part of a team that can win it all,” Rodgers said. “I think this is a place where we can do that.”
Perhaps history would have been different if the Packers had beaten the 49ers at least once in 2019.
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