The Aaron Rodgers situation came as a thunderclap back in April. Nobody thought anything was amiss. Why should they? Rodgers had just won MVP for the third time. The Green Bay Packers had just gone 13-3 for the second year in a row and came minutes from the Super Bowl. Expectations were he'd be right back in 2021 and they'd go for it again. Then the bombshell dropped. Rodgers was at odds with team management and had no plans to return to the team.
Most agree the beef started back in 2020. That was when Packers GM Brian Gutekunst decided to trade up in the 1st round of the draft to select Utah State quarterback Jordan Love. That was a clear and day message by team brass that the Rodgers Era was winding down. What made it even worse is Gutekunst didn't even give the Hall of Famer a courtesy heads up they were going to do it.
By most accounts, Rodgers took that personally.
He kept his mouth shut that season, instead just playing the best football in his career. Then right as the Packers' guard was down, the 38-year old decided he was done playing in Green Bay. It took the team completely by surprise. This may force them to start the Love Era before they wanted to. Most accounts suggest he isn't ready yet. Worse still several receivers are staging practice holdouts in protest. Davante Adams even suggested he might think twice about re-signing in Green Bay if Rodgers is gone.
It is incredible how fast things have deteriorated for a team most viewed as Super Bowl favorites a couple of months ago. Plenty of people though don't think this standoff will last. They're sure at some point Rodgers will come around and return to the team. Just don't tell that to Rob Demovsky. The Packers insider for ESPN
spoke with Kap & J. Hood. When asked point-blank on whether he thinks Rodgers will return? His answer was stupefyingly blunt.
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Aaron Rodgers doesn't seem to fear sitting out
The Packers seem intent on calling his "bluff" as recent reports have indicated. In other words, they aren't going to trade him. That presents two options. Either Rodgers blinks and returns to the team. Or he stands his ground and sits out the 2021 season. Demovsky seems to think there is little chance the 38-year old will give Gutekunst the satisfaction of winning the chess match like that. He will sit out if he has to.
When thinking about it, there is no pressing need for him to return. His Hall of Fame enshrinement is assured. He has three MVP awards and a Super Bowl ring. He's done everything there is to do in the NFL. The only reasons he's playing at this point are the love of the game and perhaps adding another ring to his finger. Is either worth dealing with Gutekunst for another season? It doesn't seem that way. Aaron Rodgers would rather sit at home if he can't play somewhere else.
Just like that, the Packers are in unfamiliar territory.
Not since 1991 have they been saddled with this sort of quarterback uncertainty. Living through the careers of Brett Favre and then Rodgers has
left Green Bay spoiled. Perhaps Love may continue the streak, but the law of averages says that is unlikely. If he ends up busting, Gutenkunst's move to get him in 2020 might be viewed as one of the biggest blunders in franchise history.
