Aaron Rodgers Not Feeling the Love in Green Bay?

After an absolutely demoralizing performance on Sunday by the Greenbay Packers, many people are questioning whether this is the end of Aaron Rodgers’ time in Green bay. One thing that can be said for this situation is that Aaron Rodgers intended for this to play out in this exact fashion.

 Looking at the entire situation, since 2008, Aaron Rodgers has finished every season for the Packers minus 2 games. His consistency has been commended, but his lack of post-season success since his lone Superbowl victory in 2010 has rubbed many fans the wrong way. Despite his ability to throw the ball wherever and however he wants, he has not had the type of success that a player of his caliber should have. 

Aaron Rodgers fans will say that he has not had any help offensively and that the defenses were not good enough to help him. Aaron Rodgers' critics will say that he has an inability to bring up the team around him and his offseason absence did not help his cause. 

QB Jordan Love has been speculated as the long-term answer for Green Bay after being selected in the 2020 draft. Jordan Love is now in his second season and he still has little experience under his belt. Aaron Rodgers had not played bad enough to lose his job, but that all changed on Sunday. Shortly into the final quarter of the game after throwing a late interception to Saints Cornerback, Paulson Adebo, who was also our Defensive Player of The Week, Rodgers was replaced by Jordan Love. However, Love did not score either but was able to convert the first 3rd down of the day. 

Jordan Love is not Aaron Rodgers. The major problem is that the fans or even the Packers have yet to see Jordan Love take many meaningful reps in his young career. What we do know is that Love was the Packers first selection in 2020 and they obviously believed in his ability to eventually lead the team. In an interview with Inside The Hashes prior to his draft, Love stated that he valued bringing in his new teammates to work on learning the scheme, which is a valuable ability for young play-callers. However, without true developmental help from a disgruntled Aaron Rodgers, the Packers must reel Love in fast in hopes of keeping him mentally focused to take Rodgers’ spot.

Love’s final stat line of the day was 5 completions with 7 attempts and 68 yards. While it is not very impressive, the primary concern for the Packers is how committed Aaron Rodgers is to the long-term future of the team. When Matt LeFleur decided to bench Rodgers in the final quarter, it was stated that the benching was more focused on injury prevention than a consequential move. Late in the game with no hope for a victory is a logical move to make, but could the Packers be itching to see a clean start with second-year passer Jordan Love?

I am not totally sure what Aaron Rodgers expected when he came back into the facility a week before the first game, but it was surely not the move of a quarterback looking to lead a franchise. Aaron Rodgers may have a justifiable reason for being upset with the organization for a lack of offensive help, but regardless, a team cannot rally around a quarterback who is obviously taking himself out of the fold.

If the Green Bay Packers expect to compete this year, they must make a change early in the season because if it happens too late in the season, Matt LeFleur risks losing the entire locker room. Aaron Rodgers has undoubtedly lost the locker room and it will be a waiting game to see how soon Jordan Love is called to take over the team. 

On Monday, September 20th, the Packers take on the Detroit Lions in a divisional battle. With the Lions offense looking very competitive with Jared Goff at the helm, if Rodgers isn’t able to get anything going, it is likely the Packers will begin running Jordan Love more with the first-team offense. 

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-By LeMarkus Bailey