Aaron Rodgers Going On ‘Darkness Retreat’ To Decide NFL Future

Aaron Rodgers is seeking guidance amid his contemplation process before deciding on his NFL future.

With the Super Bowl yet to be played, Rodgers hasn’t officially decided whether or not he’ll return for a 19th NFL season in 2023.

Following a disappointing 8-9 season as quarterback of the Green Bay Packers, Rodgers, 39, mentioned how he intends to handle his mental tug-of-war ahead of next season. During his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday, Rodgers revealed that he will embark on a “darkness retreat” where he will be isolated from distractions before making his decision.

“It’s four nights of complete darkness,” Rodgers said. “… You’re not locked in, you can leave if you can’t do it. You can just walk out the door. It’s a darkness retreat. And I’ve had a number of friends who’ve done it and had some profound experiences and it’s something that’s been on my radar for a few years now and I felt like it’d be awesome to do, regardless of where I was leaning after this season. So it’s been on the calendar for months and months and months and it’s coming up in a couple of weeks.”

Rodgers added: “I’m still in the art of contemplation about my future.”

While Green Bay missed playoff contention for the first time in four seasons, reports have hinted at the Packers’ willingness to trade Rodgers before next season. Yet, with retirement still on the table along with a return to the field, it’s now up to Rodgers to choose his path moving forward. According to the terms of his current contract with Green Bay, Rodgers has $59.46 million left on the table — part of a three-year extension he signed with the Packers back in March of 2022.

He detailed that the isolation will take place in an undisclosed location where food will be provided and there will be no contact with the outside world.

“It’s a room, it’s a little house,” Rodgers said. “… (There’s) a little slot where they’ll drop in some food for you. But it’s isolation and darkness. No music, no nothing.”