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Aaron Rodgers on Davante Adams trade request: ‘Out of my hands’

By Thomson Reuters Oct 4, 2024 | 11:47 AM

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers appeared to choose his words carefully when asked about a potential reunion with three-time All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams.

Rodgers played eight seasons in Green Bay with Adams, who recently requested a trade from the Las Vegas Raiders.

“I don’t know how much I can say about it. There’s tampering,” Rodgers said on Friday, two days ahead of the Jets’ game versus the Minnesota Vikings in London.

“But I still have a close friendship with him. We spend time in the offseason together. He’s a great guy, and a great player. And the rest of that’s out of my hands.”

ESPN reported Adams would like to play with a quarterback with whom he’s comfortable, and that brings readily to mind either Rodgers or Derek Carr of the New Orleans Saints.

Rodgers was asked Friday about what message he’d send Adams about starting over after a trade. The four-time NFL MVP knows a thing or two about that, considering he spent the first 18 seasons of his career with the Packers before joining the Jets.

“Yeah, I mean, the grass is green where you water it,” Rodgers said. “There’s the fear mongering that goes along with the adage that the grass is not always greener on the other side. But the grass is green where you water it: you put the time in, you put intention and attention to whatever you’re doing and you can make a special situation out of being anywhere.”

Adams, 31, has 18 catches for 209 yards and a touchdown in three games this season. He is nursing a nagging hamstring injury that caused him to sit out last week’s contest for the Raiders.

A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Adams has 890 catches for 10,990 yards and 96 touchdowns in 153 career games (146 starts) with the Packers (2014-21) and Raiders.

Rodgers, 40, has thrown for 849 yards with five touchdowns and one interception in four games this season.

He passed for 59,904 yards, 480 touchdowns and 106 picks in 235 games (228 starts) for the Packers (2005-22) and Jets, compiling a record of 150-77-1. He made 10 Pro Bowls and led Green Bay to a Super Bowl XLV victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

–Field Level Media