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Did Aaron Rodgers retire? Packers QB's mysterious Instagram post sparks speculation

Aaron Rodgers reflected on his time with the Wisconsin-based team, expressing gratitude for his teammates and lauding his girlfriend for supporting him in an Instagram post

Aaron Rodgers left both fans and critics scratching their heads after sharing a cryptic post with his girlfriend Shailene Woodley on Instagram that appeared to hint at his retirement. 

The Green Bay Packers' star quarterback reflected on his time with the Wisconsin-based team, expressing gratitude for his teammates and lauding his girlfriend for supporting him. He said he was grateful to the 'Divergent' star "for letting me chase after you the first couple of months after we met, and finally letting me catch up to you and be a part of your life." He then thanked his teammates and Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, and the last picture on his post showed Davante Adams and Randall Cobb standing next to each other -- with an empty space between them where Rodgers usually stands -- during the national anthem.

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The Packers star began his post by sharing a quote that said, "Gratitude is the wine for the soul. Go on. Get drunk" and used the hashtag #MondayNightGratitude.

The mysterious post made waves on social media, with many wondering whether the star QB had actually decided to call it quits.

"Did Aaron Rodgers drop a hint about his future?" sportswriter Doug Rush asked on Twitter.

"The last picture in Aaron Rodgers’ Instagram post is this one. He is in every photo he posted except this one. He normally stands between Cobb and Adams for the national anthem… (This looks like the game he missed in KC) Could mean something or nothing. Time will tell," ABC sports anchor Adriana Torres offered.

"So let's recap: - A 'thankful' IG post to the Packers from Aaron Rodgers tonight. - A Rodgers interview on Pat McAfee's show tomorrow. - Packers announce GM Brian Gutekunst will have a press conference on Wednesday. Yeah. The Aaron Rodgers decision is, um, coming NOW," Radio host Jason Smith added.
 
Rodgers' critics, however, accused him of seeking attention with his cryptic Instagram post.

"So, did Aaron Rodgers just retire on Instagram, or is he just doing cryptic posts because he hasn't been in the news for the last 5 days and needed the attention? 🤔🤔 I'm going #2," one Twitter user wrote.

"Did Aaron Rodgers realize that he hadn't been the center of anyone's attention for a week, get drunk, and post like a high school girl on his Instagram? Yes," someone else added.
 

While Rodgers is yet to comment on the speculation, it's hard to believe he would retire after two consecutive MVP seasons. That said, the quarterback has been hinting at retirement since before the start of last season, and is expected to announce his decision on Tuesday, February 22, on the Pat McAfee Show. Rodgers told McAfee on January 26 that he wanted to make a decision about his future before the franchise tag window opened up, which is slated for Tuesday. According to Marca, Rodgers will reveal whether he's staying with Green Bay, retiring, or leaving the Packers to explore new opportunities. "I think that should be enough time to make a decision by then," Rodgers said at the time. "I don't want to put myself on a specific date, but I do want to be sensitive to Davante [Adams] and many other guys who have decisions to make on their own futures," he added.