Packers' Aaron Rodgers Sees 'The 18th Hole Coming Up' on Career After Turning 36

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers wants to play into his 40s, but he acknowledged this week that his career is closer to being over than beginning. 

"Yeah, that and seeing the 18th hole coming up, realizing I can't play forever and the opportunities don't come along all the time," Rodgers told reporters Wednesday, two days after turning 36. 

Rodgers added that his career is "making the turn," which puts a slightly different spin on the first quote. "Seeing the 18th hole" would insinuate Rodgers is nearing retirement, whereas "making the turn" means he's about halfway through his career.

Rodgers is in his 15th NFL season and 12th as a starter. It's far more likely that his first quote is the more accurate golf analogy of the pair.

While he's still among the best quarterbacks in the NFL, Rodgers' previous vice grip on the "most talented" mantra has slipped. Patrick Mahomes has taken over as the game's most talented passer, and Lamar Jackson is rewriting the record books as a dual threat.

Rodgers has settled in comfortably among the best half-dozen or so quarterbacks in the NFL this season. He's thrown for 3,065 yards and 22 touchdowns against two interceptions, fine numbers that look somewhat pedestrian against his competition. ESPN's QBR ranks him as the 14th-best quarterback in the league, three spots ahead of Tom Brady, someone about whom there has been much handwringing.

The Packers have placed an increased emphasis on the run in 2019, but their real savior has been their ability to sneak by in close games. Green Bay is 9-3 despite outscoring opponents by only 34 points. Much of that can be attributed to the team's plus-11 turnover margin, which is tied for the second-best in the NFL.

Rodgers said one of the goals for the remainder of the season is to lock up a first-round bye. The New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks are one game ahead of Green Bay with four weeks remaining.  

"I think the NFC is as deep as I've seen it in a long time, especially with the number of teams that have eight or more wins. I think home-field advantage will definitely help. You've seen some of the bigger games this year from some of the top seeds, home-field advantage has meant something in those games.

"So we'd love to be one of those top-two seeds and have to have a team come to us after a week break, but we have a long way to go until we get there. We have to get this one this week and then get to 10 and start talking about some of those things."