Packers CEO says Rodgers will return in 2021: 'We're not idiots'

Green Bay Packers CEO Mark Murphy brushed off speculation Monday night that Aaron Rodgers could play elsewhere in 2021, saying the quarterback will return next season.

"We're not idiots. Aaron Rodgers will be back, he's our leader," Murphy said, according to WNFL's Mark Daniels.

Rodgers hinted at an unsettled future in Green Bay after the Packers fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game. He shared the same sentiment days before the contest, calling his future a "beautiful mystery."

The veteran is reportedly expected to seek a new contract over the offseason, though the Packers will likely be keen on restructuring his deal anyway so they can lower the passer's $37-million cap hit for 2021.

Green Bay cast doubt over Rodgers' long-term security with the team when the front office traded up in the first round last spring to select another quarterback, Jordan Love. Rodgers responded with one of his best seasons, and he's the top candidate for the MVP Award.

The 37-year-old is signed through the 2023 season, but there's no guaranteed money left on his deal. He's spent his entire career in Green Bay, winning his only Super Bowl at the end of the 2010 campaign.