Now that Matt Ryan has signed a contract extension with the Atlanta Falcons, Aaron Rodgers should be the next star quarterback in line to get paid. Rodgers knows it, which is why he recently cracked a joke to one of the people in charge of negotiating Ryan’s new deal.
In an appearance on Andrew Brandt’s “The Business of Sports” podcast this week, Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff recalled a funny exchange he had with Rodgers in Minnesota during Super Bowl week. Basically, Rodgers urged him to hurry up and work something out with Ryan.
“I saw Aaron, interestingly enough, at the Super Bowl in the airport,” Dimitroff said, as transcribed by Herbie Teope of NFL.com. “He just said to me, ‘We don’t know each other that well, but just get this deal done with Matt first so I can get on with my life.'”
Rodgers still has two years remaining on his current contract, but Ryan’s extension should excite him. Ryan inked a five-year, $150 million deal that includes $100 million guaranteed, and there has already been talk about Rodgers shattering records when he signs his extension.
The Packers have not seemed like they are in a huge rush to get the Rodgers deal done, but Ryan’s extension should help move things along. Plus, it’s obvious Rodgers hasn’t been all that thrilled with the moves Green Bay has made this offseason. Making him the highest-paid player in football should help ease some of that tension.
