Make no mistake, this drama surrounding Aaron Rodgers officially started when the Green Bay Packers drafted Jordan Love in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. One game away from the Super Bowl, general manager Brian Gutekunst thought more about the future than he did his future Hall of Fame quarterback and a team coming off of a 13-3 season.
Reports are now surfacing that Rodgers does not want to return to Green Bay. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers is “disgruntled” with the Packers and has told people within the organization that he wants out. A couple of hours before, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported teams were inquiring about Rodgers in a possible trade.
According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Gutekunst’s feelings about Rodgers haven’t changed since he spoke to the media on Monday.
“As we’ve stated since the season ended, we are committed to Aaron in 2021 and beyond,” he stated. “Aaron has been a vital part of our success and we look forward to competing for another championship with him leading our team.”
Behind closed doors, no one knows what is happening or what kind of conversations are taking place. Rodgers asked for and was reportedly offered an extension, which entailed a longer commitment to him as the starter. However, nothing was ever agreed to, and Rodgers is now showcasing his animosity publicly.
Rodgers was clearly off-put by the team’s first-round selection last year. He had a tall glass of scotch and quickly came to the realization that he is expendable. He’s never received any help from the organization as far as drafting an offensive skill position player in the first round. Since taking over as the starter in 2008, the Packers haven’t drafted a wide receiver in the first round. In fact, that hasn’t happened in Green Bay since Javon Walker in 2002. The 2020 NFL draft felt like a good time to do so.
After the 2019 season ended, it seemed fitting to get Rodgers more help. The offense was good, but he relied heavily on his go-to receiver Davante Adams. Adding another pass-catcher would take some pressure off of the dynamic pair and also serve as an act of good faith toward Rodgers and the last years of his career.
However, the Love selection has now driven a wedge between organization and player. Rodgers isn’t any happier about the pick than he was a year ago. Maybe he’s trying to recapture some leverage he feels he lost. Or maybe the relationship is fractured beyond repair, and he just wants to play somewhere else.
Gutekunst is now tasked with the impossible of either trading the league MVP or trying to talk him off a ledge. With the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft slated for tonight, it’s safe to say anything is on the table.