The saga between Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers does not seem to be headed towards a happy ending. But in the meantime, Rodgers emerged in public this weekend at the Kentucky Derby to provide just a little bit of clarity about where he’s at while the franchise scrambles to figure out how it might be able to hold onto its MVP quarterback.
Rodgers is enjoying the horse races on Saturday along with fiancee Shailene Woodley and others, even posing for a photo in full-on Derby regalia.
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Rodgers certainly isn’t letting all that drama ruin his day, as he’s been seen wearing a “Turd Ferguson” nametag and cheering from the grandstand.
The guy in this video looks a lot like @AaronRodgers12 but that’s not what his name tag says😂😂
@normmacdonald pic.twitter.com/VKiMtUWfoY
— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) May 1, 2021
While Rodgers and his camp appear to be attempting to muscle their way out of Green Bay behind the scenes, he hasn’t made any public comments surrounding the drama. However, NBC’s Mike Tirico was able to speak with the QB off-camera and shared a little bit of insight, noting that Rodgers seemed “disappointed” that the spat has become public and a “chasm” exists between the two sides.
Mike Tirico says he spoke with Aaron Rodgers at the Kentucky Derby and characterized the QB as "disappointed that news has come out of this rift with the Packers." pic.twitter.com/93ug4tD5CT
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) May 1, 2021
The full quote from NBC’s @miketirico after a conversation with still-#Packers QB Aaron Rodgers off camera at the Kentucky Derby. pic.twitter.com/WT5CbE9hWj
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 1, 2021
Of course, what Rodgers wants to put out publicly is likely a little different from what is going on behind the scenes are there are certainly a lot of NFL reporters working overtime to figure out the logistics.
ESPN reporter Rob Demovsky, who covers the Packers beat, laid it out that the odds of Rodgers returning to Green Bay this upcoming season are extremely slim.
Green Bay #Packers NFL Nation reporter @RobDemovsky told us on Dari and Mel on @ESPNRadio that he thinks there is a LESS THAN 5% CHANCE Aaron Rodgers plays a single down as a Packer in 2021.
— Dari Nowkhah (@ESPNDari) May 1, 2021
Yahoo!’s Charles Robinson noted that if the Packers want any chance of keeping Rodgers, they might have to clean house in management, which seems unlikely. Robinson also reported that if the Packers aren’t able to appease Rodgers one way or another, he might hold our or possibly retire.
Here's a bombshell from @CharlesRobinson, who reports that Aaron Rodgers wants the Packers to fire G.M. Brian Gutekunst. https://t.co/r0jsNCw0sq
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) May 1, 2021
Meanwhile, for those feeling overwhelmed by all the rumors and conjecture, NFL reporter Benjamin Allbright laid it all out in a solid Twitter thread on how we got here.
The Aaron Rodgers story as I know it.
Obviously Rodgers had been dissatisfied for some time. Several teams made post season inquiries this year, including the Rams prior to trading for Stafford although that went nowhere with GB FO.
Rodgers recently has begun telling teammates
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) May 1, 2021
2/ and those close to him that he wasn't coming back to GB.
Earlier this week Rodgers told people representing him to reach out and tell SF to "come get him." SF called GB and was told they weren't moving him.
SF was out at that point and back on their original plan of
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) May 1, 2021
3/ Trey Lance in the draft.
Rodgers camp realizing their maximum leverage was the day of the draft began leaking and back channeling interest in other teams including Las Vegas, Denver and Miami.
Denver did not reach out about Rodgers but someone representing him had
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) May 1, 2021
4/ backchannel communication with someone close to someone (but not officially) an employee of the Broncos. That person who again is not employed by the Broncos in any way, began leaking over enthusiastic reports about the nature and closeness of a Rodgers deal to local media.
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) May 1, 2021
5/ a local Denver media personality reported erroneously that a deal was all but done, when the team had yet to even officially contact Rodgers or the Packers and no offer was on the table (yet).
Broncos source when reached for comment clarified this. Intimated that of course
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) May 1, 2021
6/ if a "hypothetical" HOF QB came available, the team would be interested like any team, but at this juncture no talks had occurred. There was potential for a "temperature check" with GB over the weekend.
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) May 1, 2021
How much of this is conjecture? How much of it is positioning by people on either side? And how much of it will really matter in the end if Rodgers already knows he wants out of Green Bay? These are the questions we’ll keep asking ourselves as the saga continues…
[Benjamin Allbright, NBC Sports]
