Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers knows how much of a big deal Mike Reilly is in Canada.
“I have not been to Winnipeg before but I am a fan of the CFL because a former teammate Mike Reilly has long dominated the CFL,” Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said when asked about playing an NFL exhibition game north of the border.
Rodgers and Reilly spent part of the 2009 NFL season together when the 2005 first round pick was the Packers’ starting quarterback and the other an undrafted free agent on the practice roster.
The 34-year-old Reilly is one of the CFL’s most recognizable players having won two Grey Cups (2011 as a backup and 2015 the starter) and the 2017 Most Outstanding Player award. He signed a new four-year contract with the B.C. Lions in February that is due to pay him $2.9 million over the term of the deal. And Rodgers has kept up to date with his former teammate.
“He just switched teams he was with Edmonton for a long time,” Rodgers said.
The 35-year-old has one Super Bowl ring and two NFL MVP awards. Last August Rodgers signed a four-year extension with the Packers worth $134 million, including a $57.5 million signing bonus.
“The CFL is a great league and a lot of great players have played there,” Rodgers said.
“Over the years some guys have actually played in the NFL, some guys have gone back and forth.”
