The Green Bay Packers have made some surprising coaching and personnel moves this offseason, and it has become quite clear that they did so without consulting their most important franchise player. While he has stopped short of coming out and saying it, that player clearly is not thrilled.
Aaron Rodgers has made some cryptic remarks this offseason about Green Bay’s moves, and that continued last week during an appearance on 102.9 FM The Hog’s “Bob & Brian Show.”
“I think it’s pretty clear that players play and coaches coach and personnel people make their decisions,” Rodgers said, as transcribed by Jason Wilde of ESPN.com. “That’s the way they want it.”
Rodgers could easily say he doesn’t want to be a part of the decision-making process and that he just wants to focus on playing, so there must be a reason he is taking this approach. His favorite target, Jordy Nelson, was released with a year remaining on his deal, and the Packers also moved on from quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt without consulting their two-time NFL MVP quarterback.
“It’s the tough part of the business; when you get close to guys and spend a lot of time with them and play with them a long time and [you’re] not able to finish up with them,” Rodgers said of Green Bay cutting Nelson. “Jordy and I had a really good feel for each other and obviously made a lot of plays over the years.”
The Packers haven’t exactly sat around and done nothing for Rodgers, as they signed star tight end Jimmy Graham to a three-year deal. Rodgers has to appreciate having a target as talented as Graham to throw to, though he has chosen to focus more on what Green Bay has lost than gained.
If you heard what Rodgers said about the Packers letting Van Pelt go, it is obvious he is not pleased with the team’s management at the moment. With Rodgers and the Packers working toward a contract extension, you have to wonder if that has had any impact on negotiations.
