Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions Sunday, Jan. 8 in Green Bay, Wis.

Tom Brady had his chance. To go home. Make amends. and go out a champion.

OK. I get it. Brady doesn’t really need the “go out a champion” part, but it would’ve been storybook.

The San Francisco 49ers have a few quarterbacking options, but none of them, for the time being are in the “franchise quarterback” mold.

Jimmy Garoppolo is leaving. Trey Lance is a neophyte with 0.0 experience. and Brock Purdy, if we’re being honest, is a great backup quarterback as currently constituted.

Here’s the problem. The 49ers ranked fifth in offense – yards and points per game – and first in defense.

Superstars galore. Strength in all facets.

Except at quarterback.

Purdy did an admirable job, going 8-1 over his run, but there is a difference in managing games in November and winning them in January. At some point, he may be ready. Probably more like 2024.

Brady, who grew up 25 miles from Levis Stadium and a huge 49ers fan, could’ve checked off a lot of boxes with a one or two-year run there.

All could have been forgiven – 49ers didn’t consider Brady an NFL quarterback prospect at Michigan.

Well, guess what? There’s another option, almost a carbon copy of Brady, in Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers had Brady-like connections, too.

He not only grew up near in northern Calif., in the city of Chico, near Sacramento, Calif., but he played football at Cal-Berkeley, just 43 miles from Levis Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

And come draft day in 2005, the 49ers, needing a young quarterback, drafted Alex Smith with the first pick overall instead of Rodgers, who ended up lasting 24th overall to the Green Bay Packers.

Just like Brady’s draft day, it was awful watching Rodgers, who was talked about as the top pick overall, waiting 2½ hours in the “Green Room,” with cameras dialed in.

The 49ers could make amends.

Now, it won’t be cheap, even though Rodgers turns 40 in December and probably has, at most, two to three good years ahead of him.

The 49ers do not have a first or second round pick this April, having dealt it away for Christian McCaffrey, instead only three third rounders.

They would probably have to give up their 2024 first rounder as part of some trade package.

But in going for McCaffrey in October, weren’t the 49ers implying they were “going for it,” as in trying to win now?

Why not finish the job with Rodgers, who is not in great stead with Packers management.

Two years of near-MVP Rodgers probably makes the 49ers, just as it would’ve happened with Brady, the favorites to win the Super Bowl next year and maybe the year after that.

The 49ers are that talented. and according to those in the know, that well-coached as well.

There are things to work out, including Rodgers massive contract – he’s scheduled to make $58 million in 2023 – and a potentially devastating salary cap issue (dead cap number upon trade or release is $99 million for 2023).

But we’ve heard enough about Rodgers and the “rift” with the Packers. It’s tiring, to be honest.

The 49ers window is now. The next two to three years. Getting Rodgers is akin to getting McCaffrey. Gutsy and smart.

You can email Bill Burt at bburt@eagletribune.com.