Aaron Rodgers Was Given ‘Cool Gift’ From Royal Family by Jets Owner To Sign Star QB From Packers
In his upcoming biography, Aaron Rodgers revealed that Johnson, the owner of the New York Jets, presented him with "some honey from the queen's garden."
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The upcoming book Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers, by NFL star quarterback Aaron Rodgers and penned by former Post columnist Ian O'Connor, contains more news than we could ever imagine. This time, it's the instance in which Jets owner Woody Johnson went to extraordinary lengths to pursue Aaron Rodgers.
Following the revelation of Aaron Rodgers' family feud, the writer brought up the ‘sweet' episode in which Jets owners broke the ice with Aaron Rodgers. When the two met at Rodgers' Malibu home last summer, along with other Jets executives, Johnson brought a surprise gift.
Aaron Rodgers joined the New York Jets after spending 17 seasons in Green Bay. It was one of the most thrilling and widely discussed moves last year. As A-Rod's relationship with the Green Bay Packers deteriorated, the Jets became his primary suitors.
According to the New York Post, Johnson did not arrive empty-handed during their encounter at Rodgers' Malibu estate last summer, as recounted in the book. The 40-year-old quarterback stated that Johnson, who previously served as the US ambassador to the UK under Donald Trump, gave him "some honey from the queen's garden."
Johnson thought he had the present to attract Rodgers to the meeting, and his one-of-a-kind gift did wow the quarterback. Rodgers, who is very interested in history, said, "It is a cool gift."
According to the Royal Family website, the late Queen Elizabeth II enjoyed the honey produced by Buckingham Palace's beehives. During their first encounter in 2014, she presented Pope Francis with a jar of this honey. Following the Queen's death in 2022, a royal beekeeper even informed the bees of her departure, a ritual described by folklorist Mark Norman to the New York Times as "very old and well-established, but not very well-known."
Nine years later, Johnson, the US ambassador to the United Kingdom during the Trump administration, utilized his charm to establish a rapport with Rodgers, who had become disillusioned after 18 years with the Packers.
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In March 2023, Rodgers and his agent David Dunn met privately with Johnson, his brother and vice chairman Christopher Johnson, head coach Robert Saleh, general manager Joe Douglas, offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, and team president Hymie Elhai.
After a grueling five-hour discussion at Aaron Rodgers' posh Malibu property, which he is alleged to have purchased for a cool $28 million in 2019, the great quarterback indicated that the New York Jets were his preferred choice if the Green Bay Packers decided to sell him.
Christopher Johnson, the more outgoing of the two brothers, arrived in Malibu ahead of the other club executives and had a one-on-one chat with Rodgers, which was thought beneficial to the Jets. As a result, one important NFL official with links to the Johnsons questioned whether it was purposeful that the nicer brother made the initial impression.
The New York Jets went to great lengths to ensure that the quarterback would play for them. It's been more than 50 years since the Jets won a Super Bowl and more than 14 years since they even qualified for one, and Johnson has sought the veteran quarterback to help him realize his goal of winning one.
Also Read: 5 Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Aaron Rodgers
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