Aaron Rodgers’ NFL future hinges on ‘darkness retreat’

Aaron Rodgers is going dark … literally.

During his weekly appearance Tuesday on “The Pat McAfee Show,” the Packers quarterback, 39, said he plans to spend four days in a “darkness retreat” to help him decide on his NFL future.

“It’s a darkness retreat, and I’ve had a number of friends who have 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 would 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 said.

Rodgers was asked in his weekly spot if he’s given some thought to football in recent days, which included a win for Rodgers a the Pebble Beach Pro-AM and Tom Brady’s second NFL retirement, as rumors continue to swirl about what’s next for the league’s reigning MVP.

“I can’t help but think about football, it’s a love of mine, I’ve given my life to it,” said Rodgers, who recently wrapped a disappointing 18th season in Green Bay.

Although Rodgers remains under contract with the Packers, speculation has continued to mount that the quarterback could be on his way out of Green Bay. Not only has Rodgers been linked to the Jets, but his former teammate, wide receiver Davante Adams, hasn’t been shy in his recruiting efforts to the Raiders.

Rodgers plans to watch Super Bowl 2023 this week, along with all of the “pomp and circumstance” surrounding the big game between the Chiefs and Eagles. After that will come some “self-reflection” in “isolation” before finalizing his next steps.

“I got some pretty cool opportunities following that to do a little self-reflection in some isolation and then after that, I feel like I’ll be a lot closer to a final, final decision,” he said.

Rodgers then provided further details about his “isolation retreat,” which the quarterback explained is “four nights of complete darkness.”

Rodgers continued that food will be dropped off in “a little slot” in the blacked-out space and reiterated its “isolation and darkness.” The quarterback was also asked if he could bring anything with him to the retreat.

“It’s not like you bring a journal, or you bring music or anything, there’s no sounds, it’s just sitting in isolation, meditation, being with your thoughts. It stimulates DMTs, so there can be some hallucinations in there, but it’s just kind of sitting in silence,” Rodgers said.

The chatter around the Jets picked up last week when Rodgers talked glowingly about Nathaniel Hackett, his former offensive coordinator in Green Bay, who the Jets recently hired for the same position. ESPN.com reported recently the Packers “prefer to move on” from Rodgers, who also could choose retirement this offseason.

Rodgers did provide one concrete nugget on his future last week, telling CBS Sports analyst Colt Knost that he’s “not going to San Fran.”