While Aaron Rodgers is content to go year-to-year with the Packers, who have declined to restructure his contract to create cap space this offseason, the reigning MVP has made no secret of the fact he is gunning for the job Alex Trebek held for 36 years. The first week of the Jeopardy! episodes Rodgers previously taped wrapped Friday, and although the show’s run of guest hosts will continue after next week’s shows, the 37-year-old quarterback wants to become Trebek’s successor. With Jeopardy! filming five episodes per day two days a week — on Mondays and Tuesdays — Rodgers believes he can become the show’s next full-time host without retiring from the NFL.
“I don’t think I’d need to give up football to do it. They film 46 days a year. I worked 187 this year in Green Bay. That gives me, eh, 178 days to do “Jeopardy!” So I feel like I could fit 46 into that 178 and make it work,” Rodgers said, via The Ringer’s Claire McNear. “It would be a dream job for sure, and I’m not shy at all about saying I want the job. That’s how I went into it. I want an opportunity to be in the mix.”
Jeopardy! films in Los Angeles, so it may create some issues if the show — in the event Rodgers landed the gig — filmed episodes during training camp, the regular season or the playoffs. Just ahead of his most recent contract agreement, in 2018, Rodgers said he would love to play until at least age 40. Four hosts, including Jeopardy! mainstay Ken Jennings, preceded Rodgers this year. Five more will take their turns after Rodgers’, creating a crowded mix to succeed Trebek, who died in November 2020. Shifting back to strictly NFL matters, here is the latest from the quarterback world:
- Among QBs in his age range, Ben Roethlisberger stands alone. The other two 2004 first-round QBs — Eli Manning and Philip Rivers — retired. So did Drew Brees. Tom Brady relocated, and the Packers drafted Rodgers’ would-be heir apparent in Jordan Love. The Steelers, however, are still Roethlisberger-dependent. They will not trade up from No. 24 to draft a quarterback, according to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic (subscription required), who notes that it would not be too surprising if Roethlisberger ended up staying on for his age-40 season in 2022 while the organization figures out its long-awaited plan.
- Washington looms as a team that appears interested in trading up for a quarterback, but the team may have company. The Broncos and Patriots loom as other candidates to move up the board for a passer, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (video link). A trade-up maneuver would not cost the Broncos (No. 9) what the Patriots (No. 15) would have to pay. New England is usually big on trading back and accumulating picks, but the franchise zagged by splurging in free agency this offseason. And its QB situation is considerably different from what it was when Bill Belichick trade-downs were commonplace. Both teams would benefit from the run of quarterbacks pushing non-QB prospects down the board, but neither appears to have a viable long-term answer. The Broncos are planning to add to their Drew Lock-centered QB room and discussed Matthew Stafford and Sam Darnold. But Lock may remain unchallenged going into the draft.
- Nate Sudfeld‘s 49ers contract is a one-year deal worth $990K, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). The former Eagles third-stringer will receive $252K guaranteed, and $138K is available via incentives.
Steelers 9-8 at best for two years with Roethlisberger at the helm. Might be good enough to make the playoffs, might not…
You either forgot to include a bye in your average, or 15/16th of the second season.
Forgot a bye? I heard that NFLbis going to 17 games in 2021.
Technically incorrect
Clever, but no I’m just plain wrong. I clearly forgot and can admit the mistake. So who will be the first team to go 8-8-1 to remain .500?
As of 2021, seasons will be 17 games out of 18 weeks.
“Might make the playoffs, might not” way to cover your bets. I’m going to make this same prediction with all the other teams. I know: I’m really going out on a limb.
Ben is Ben. Age is jus a number to some…
ARod, love you as our QB in GB, but you weren’t anything special as a host of Jeopardy. In other words, and I know you don’t hear this often, but “don’t quit your day job.”
I thought he did a decent job in the one episode I watched. I have a feeling they’ll give it to Ken Jennings, though…
Separately, they missed one in Ben’s age group who may or may not have his successor drafted in the first round – Matt Ryan. If the top three goes Lawrence-Wilson-Jones as rumored, the Falcons would have a choice between Justin Fields and Trey Lance. However, they may be enamored with Kyle Pitts.
I’m waiting for the question “What team choked the most in the 2020 NFL Playoffs”.
Roethlisberger’s arm looked shot as the season progressed – similar to Drew Brees’. He might be able to get on the field without the aid of a walker, but he won’t be winning many playoff games.
Look to your own QB problems (do you even have one?) in Denver.
Biggest problems for Big Ben came when he hurt both knees in the Dallas game. After that, his desire to throw the deep ball was non-existent. He couldn’t move effectively so he had to ditch the ball within 3 seconds. Defenses caught on to that and just sat in zone waiting for the dump off. Combined with a terrible run game, that essentially killed the season
The short throws were mostly a product of the roster holes. The line couldn’t block long enough to throw deep, they couldn’t open up holes for the backs, the receivers really struggled getting separation. Ben was pretty much the only element of the offense that was stable, and they asked to do a lot to compensate-quick reads, quick throws, total command of it really.
While I do not believe that Ben is the deep passer that he once was, and not nearly close to it (he used to be arguably the best in football a few years past), I honestly can’t say how good his arm still is because we didn’t get to see a real offense from Pittsburgh for most of the season. I don’t know how good the receivers can be other than Claypool either, because it’s hard to tell how much is their fault for not getting separation and how much it is the line’s fault for regressing so much. I would wager that the receivers are not an area of strength, however, and no matter what Pittsburgh really needs help on their line before any other area. Badly.
Eh, Rodgers was not very good as the host. He is incredibly hard to listen to. IMO
Plus, he was pretty dull with a flat voice. Don’t quit your day job, Aaron.
Sure has a high opinion of himself..
He really does…it’s a little hard to take sometimes, but I forget about all of that when I get to watch him play on Sundays LOL
You can tell Rodgers just did his taxes, knows exactly how many days he spent in Green Bay working.
Aaron Rodgers is a lunatic.
I saw two clips of him hosting Jeopardy…to call him driftwood would be an insult to driftwood. $5 plastic outdoor chairs have more personality. He’s terrible in those State Farm commercials and those are highly edited after many, many takes. Delusional.
This is after he declared that he is qualified to be the general manager of the Milwaukee Bucks.
A lunatic.
I don’t think he’s a lunatic…it’s more just a function of his extreme arrogance.
NPD. Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
Basically extreme arrogance, yeah.
Not mNPD or Malignant Narcissitic Personality Disorder where extreme arrogance meets sociopathy like other recent high profile figures, so Rodgers is mostly harmless.
Are you attacking the Kardashians?
Rodgers is extremely smart. He could easily be the Bucks GM.
Easily?
Man, you really don’t like Aaron Rodgers. Did he insult you on set on an insurance commercial or something?
All this talking about Rodgers’ personality, people are acting like Trebeck was Wayne Brady.
He counts how many days he spends in Green Bay? Ok then.
I feel like the Mac Jones to SF rumor is just a smoke screen. I believe they are targeting Justin Fields or possibly Trey Lance. There is no reason to move up to #3 overall to draft Mac Jones. He’s really not even a Top 20 talent. They could have waited until draft day to move up to the #7 or #8 spot for much less draft capital than they paid to get to #3 if they want Mac Jones. He’ll certainly be there at pick 7 or 8; no need to waste the 3rd pick overall on him.
If SF does end up drafting Mac Jones @ #3 overall and Justin Fields ends up being the next Deshaun Watson, say goodbye to their GM and possibly their head coach as well. Eerily familiar to the Bears moving up into the Top 3 to select Mitch Trubisky when both Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson were available and taken much later in the draft. Both Lynch & Shanahan will be canned if this turns out the same as it did for Chicago.