Aaron Rodgers Packers-Jets trade: Inside NFL deal, contract

When Aaron Rodgers’ head hit the pillow on the night of April 25, in a suburban New Jersey hotel room, his mind traveled back to Berkeley, California, the summer of 2003.

It was his first year at Cal, his first time away from home. He slept in a dingy fraternity house, excited about his journey into the unknown. Those same feelings washed over him after being traded to the New York Jets.

He arrived in New Jersey via private jet at 8:52 p.m., made the 30-mile trip from Teterboro Airport to his hotel, unpacked his belongings and his emotions. He took a deep, satisfying exhale. “The kind you take when all is right with the world,” he said.

After 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, Rodgers felt like his 19-year-old self, starting what he called “a new adventure.” He would be introduced the following day at a packed news conference, where he fed Super Bowl expectations to the Jets’ hungry fan base.

For now, in his hotel room, he pondered a line from his favorite TV show, “The Office”. Ed Helms’ character, Andy Bernard, says, “I wish there was a way to know you were in the good old days before you actually left them.”

“There’s a lot of wisdom to that, enjoying how special this moment is today and this journey,” Rodgers said. “I’m going to soak it up.”

Oh, what a journey.

The biggest trade of the NFL offseason went from rumor to reality over a three-month span, stretched out because negotiations between the two teams seemed like … they’d … never … end.

The drama included a bizarre divorce with the Packers, triggered by the quarterback’s frustration with the front office and the team’s desire to replace him…