Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers left the darkness retreat meant to give him clarity about his life path on Wednesday, the retreat’s owner told ESPN.
The 39-year-old revealed earlier this month he would be going on a four-day-and-night getaway that would take place in complete darkness and isolation. The retreat comes as Rodgers contemplates staying with Green Bay, seeking a trade or retiring.
Sky Cave Retreats owner Scott Berman said the signal-caller spent several days in the dark room, which is 300-square-foot and partially underground. It has a “queen bed, a bathroom and a meditation-like mat,” per ESPN. The room has electricity and lights that can be turned on from inside the room.
The Oregon-based retreat, which boasts three dark rooms, is booked for the next eighteen months and hundreds of people are on the waitlist, according to ESPN. Guests also do not have to be in darkness the entire time and there are no strict rules; they are allowed to walk outside, turn on the lights or leave whenever they want.
“It’s four nights of complete darkness,” Rodgers said on Feb. 7. “It’s a darkness retreat. I’ve had a number of friends who have done it and have had some profound experiences. It’s something that’s been on my radar for a few years now and I felt like it’d be awesome to do regardless of where I was leaning after this season so it’s been on the calendar for months and months.”
While Rodgers said he wanted to go on the retreat to “have a better sense of where [he’s] at in [his] life,” the quarterback noted the experience wasn’t just to figure out his football future. Since the team’s final regular-season game—a loss to the Lions—Rodgers has been vague about his next career move. The haziness has only further turned the rumor mill, which has thousands of fans speculating his future. So far, the Jets are one of the non-Packers teams linked to the 10-time Pro Bowler.
Rodgers signed a three-year, $150 million contract in March. He is set to make more than $59 million in 2023.
