Aaron Rodgers had a souvenir for NFL owners after his trip to Paris. They probably would have preferred a postcard.

The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback revisited an idea that would have sent every team overseas during the same week, with an additional bye built into the season. His explanation also included a jab at ownership’s commitment to player safety, and fans had plenty to say about that part.

Aaron Rodgers Recalls a Different Plan for International Games

Rodgers described previous collective bargaining discussions about a coordinated international week featuring games in 16 locations. Under the concept he outlined, teams would have played a 16-game regular season with two bye weeks.

He supported the idea and believed it could help grow the sport. His criticism centered on the owners’ push for a 17th regular-season game and the revenue it would generate. He sarcastically tied that decision to their concern for player safety.

Rodgers’ account described an idea discussed during negotiations, without establishing that the league had formally approved that schedule. Still, the combination of international expansion and additional recovery time gave fans something specific to chew on.

The NFL’snine-game international schedule for 2026 already shows how aggressively the league is taking its product abroad. Rodgers’ preferred arrangement would have grouped those trips into one league-wide event while preserving a shorter regular season.

Travel arrangements were another sore spot. Before the Paris game, Rodgers said he would have liked to arrive earlier. Pittsburgh reached France on Friday, while the New Orleans Saints had arrived Monday.

That gave the discussion two practical questions beyond which country gets the next game. How much football should players be asked to play, and how much time should they get to adjust when the league sends them abroad?

Fans Applaud Rodgers for Taking Aim at NFL Owners

One fan enthusiastically backed Rodgers’ willingness to challenge ownership.

“Props to Aaron Rodger’s for calling out these greedy owners, who always claim they care about player’s safety first , that’s total [expletive]! More players should call these owners out on this, but they’ll just keep there heads down and keep chewing sheep!”one fan wrote.

Another viewed the comments as evidence that Rodgers was getting increasingly comfortable speaking his mind.

“He’s burning it down on his way out…”another fan added.

That interpretation had company. “Going out the door scorched earth 🤣🤣,”one user wrote.

One fan directed the criticism toward Steelers owner Art Rooney II, mixing an unverified claim about travel savings with a joke about selling merchandise.

“Love how Rodgers rips cheap Art Rooney for not coming over early in the week. Art saved tens of thousands of dollars this week by staying in US until Thursday. I heard he was seen in Paris on the corner selling Terrible Towels. Here We Go,”the fan wrote.

Another supporter celebrated Rodgers’ blunt approach.

“The goat gonna goat!! 😂 and [expletive] what anyone thinks about it,”one fan said.

Rodgers’ enthusiasm for international football gives his criticism some weight. He sees an opportunity to introduce the sport to more people and wants players to have time to enjoy the experience. An extra bye and a few more nights at the hotel would certainly make that sales pitch easier in the locker room.