Aaron Rodgers is full-on campaigning to land the full-time gig hosting Jeopardy!
Wanting to land the position doesn't mean the 37-year-old, coming off his third MVP award, is considering retiring to work a new job.
Joining NFL Network's Good Morning Football on Tuesday, Rodgers said he has no plans to walk away from the NFL like others have in the past. The Green Bay Packers QB mentioned Barry Sanders' abrupt retirement in 1999 as one he wouldn't want to replicate.
"I still love playing, and I don't want to give that up," Rodgers said. "There is something interesting about walking away from the game at the height, you know. There's been many players who've done that. I mean, one of my favorite players growing up was Barry Sanders, and Barry rushed for over 1,000 yards in every one of his seasons and then just said, 'See ya.' That's not what I want to do. I want to keep playing, you know. I still have the passion and the fire, and this last season just reminded me and I think a lot of people that I can still play and still play at a really, really high level, and I feel like I can do this for a number of years moving forward."
Rodgers reiterated that he doesn't have to choose between football and hosting Jeopardy! if he were elected to be the full-time replacement for legend Alex Trebek. As the QB noted, the game show only films 46 days a year, which would give him time to pursue both careers.
The star signal-caller's pitch to become the permanent host included what he could bring to the table.
"At the same time, I feel like I could host Jeopardy! I'd love to," he said. "I think I bring something different to the show. I was the youngest guest host. There's a different audience that maybe I could bring along with it; hopefully the numbers show it the next two weeks. But I do enjoy the show. I have a ton of respect for the show. The way that Alex (Trebek) had a smooth hand on the show for three-and-a-half decades is something that can't be understated, and I think he held the show in such a high esteem that it made everybody really respect and admire him and the show. Even if you weren't like a fan of the show and watched it regularly, you just kind of knew who he was and knew he carried himself with a lot of integrity and that's what I would love to bring, continue to bring to the show. And I feel like I could do both, which would be a lot of fun and a great challenge."
Rodgers admitted to being nervous during the taping of his first Jeopardy! episode, which aired Monday. Even while getting the jitters out, he displayed confident charisma, even as one contestant tossed him a late curveball.
