Being a “rich, single guy,” doesn’t seem to be working out too well for Aaron Rodgers. At least, according to Colin Cowherd. Sure, he has a lot of money, but does he have anyone to go home to? Someone to hold him accountable and on the right track? If you ask Cowherd, that’s what has got the “formerly great” Rodgers flip-flopping in the league now.
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Reports suggest that the 41-year-old could be on his way to Pittsburgh after two years of what could only be called a dumpster fire in New York. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. To go from Green Bay to the Steelers would truly be quite the fall for the 2x MVP. His career trajectory and life situation had Cowherd drawing comparisons with NBA legend Kevin Durant.
From 2016 to 2019, the Golden State Warriors experienced a period of unparalleled success. Durant integrated smoothly into Steve Kerr’s system, and the team won consecutive championships in 2017 and 2018. However, their bid for a third title was thwarted in 2019.
Despite this setback, Durant had an ideal situation heading into free agency. The Warriors were willing to offer him any contract he desired, allowing him to rehabilitate in a familiar environment. With Stephen Curry and Draymond Green holding down the fort, the team was poised to resume their dominance once Durant and Thompson returned. But Durant didn’t. “Ego” got involved and he departed for Brooklyn.
“You know what Aaron Rodgers has become? He’s become Kevin Durant. Both left incredibly stable organizations—Green Bay and Golden State—all they do is win. They got into their feelings. A little bit of ego. They wanted to play with their buddies. So they go to unstable places, the Jets and Brooklyn, and it’s a mess very quickly,” Cowherd explained on his podcast.
There’s something else that is common between these two guys, per Cowherd. Drawing an interesting parallel, Cowherd detailed how their respective relationship and wealth statuses seem to be influencing their decisions.
“Both are rich, single guys that get older. No one at home to hold them accountable. Kind of doing their own thing, whatever they feel like. Surround themselves with people who agree with them…Both KD and Aaron Rodgers hurt their careers based on poor decisions,” Cowherd concluded.
The late-career trajectories of Durant and Rodgers really are unfolding in strikingly similar ways. Durant might not be as toxic as Rodgers in the media, but he isn’t exactly the quiet type either.
This offseason, he is reportedly considering another trade request, this time to a championship contender, in an effort to conclude his career on a triumphant note. Similarly, Rodgers is poised to potentially join the Pittsburgh Steelers after an anticipated release from the New York Jets, as both athletes navigate their later years in pursuit of continued success and legacy enhancement. The only difference between the two, as Cowherd pointed out, is that Durant is “still great” but Rodgers is “formerly great.”
