Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is looking forward to playing in London for Week 5, but he thinks one aspect of the trip was handled poorly.
Rodgers admitted Wednesday that he wished the team had left for London earlier so players could spend more time exploring the city. Packers coach Matt LaFleur sought to keep things as normal as possible, so he decided the Packers would not fly to London until Thursday.
“Listen, coaches are creatures of habit, even more than players,” Rodgers said Wednesday, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN. “Anytime there’s a minute adjustment to the schedule, it throws them all out of whack. So I wouldn’t read too much into that.
“We’re all excited. I think the reason I said I wanted to go over early was just to experience a little bit of that culture, to be able to get out and see some sights and interact with fans and … shoot, go to a pub and have a Guinness or whatever the local brew is. That’s what we all want to do, those of us that want to go over early.”
Rogers isn’t actually unhappy with LaFleur, but his stance is understandable. On the other hand, hanging around London and having fun might be the kind of distraction the coach would be seeking to avoid.
Rodgers’ position may be popular within the locker room. In fact, one Packers player seemed to echo Rodgers’ comments, albeit in a much more colorful way.
