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Former Packers CB Jaire Alexander describes difficult release from Green Bay
TL;DR
Jaire Alexander expressed the emotional difficulty of being released by the Green Bay Packers, the only team he envisioned playing for. He revealed that the team sought a pay cut before ultimately deciding to release him due to his injury history and high salary.
Key points
- Jaire Alexander released by Green Bay Packers
- Sought pay cut before release
- Scheduled to earn $16.15 million
- Played only 14 games in two seasons
- Struggled with emotional impact of release
Green Bay PackersJaire Alexander
Former Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander recently penned a letter for The Players' Tribune titled “The Full Story Behind Why I Stepped Away from the NFL.” In the letter, Alexander described how difficult it was to be released by the only team he thought he’d ever play for.
“I’d always thought of myself as a Packer for life, had always wanted to end my career in Green Bay,” Alexander wrote. “And yeah, I understand that the NFL is a business. I get that. But at the same time, just being honest here … it wasn’t easy for me coming to grips with that possibility. With the idea of potentially not being a Packer anymore.”
According to Alexander, the Packers approached him about taking a pay cut at the beginning of the 2025 offseason. When neither side could come to an agreement, Green Bay released Alexander. The move made sense from an organizational standpoint, as Alexander was scheduled to earn a base salary of $16.15 million that year after appearing in only 14 total regular-season games over the past two seasons due to a litany of injuries.
The situation ended up being very difficult to deal with.
“After I got cut, I tried to pretend like it was no big thing, but I never really fully dealt with all the emotions I was feeling, you know what I mean? What I’ve realized since, in working with my therapist, is that me leaving Green Bay … it was almost like a marriage coming to an end,” Alexander explained. “And for someone who had devoted so much of his life to this game, that’s not gonna be something that happens and then you just move on like whatever. It lingers. And sticks with you. Or at least it did with me. And I can tell you point blank that I absolutely blamed myself in the moments when I’d think about that divorce.”
Less than two weeks after being let go by the Packers, Alexander signed a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens. Throughout training camp, Alexander was still dealing with the lingering effects of a PCL injury and surgery the previous year. Despite not being at 100 percent, he pushed himself to play in the season opener against the . That decision backfired as Alexander had one of the worst games of his career, saying, “That was the most embarrassed I’ve ever felt in the game of football.”
Q&A
Why was Jaire Alexander released by the Green Bay Packers?
Jaire Alexander was released after the Packers sought a pay cut and he was scheduled to earn $16.15 million despite having played only 14 games over the past two seasons due to injuries.
What did Jaire Alexander say about his release from the Packers?
Alexander described his release as difficult, stating he always thought of himself as a Packer for life and struggled with the idea of not being part of the team anymore.
What were the circumstances leading to Jaire Alexander's release?
The Packers approached Alexander about a pay cut at the start of the 2025 offseason, and after failing to reach an agreement, they decided to release him.
How did Jaire Alexander feel about his career with the Packers?
Alexander had always wanted to end his career in Green Bay and felt a strong emotional connection to the team, making his release particularly challenging for him.