Immediately before the 2021 NFL Draft, shadows of doubt were cast over the future of Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. Yesterday, the QB reportedly made a demand if the team wants him to stay.
Advertisement
Although the news broke moments before this year’s draft, the story actually starts a year ago in last year’s draft. Packers GM Brian Gutekunst traded up to draft QB Jordan Love without informing Rodgers.
Obviously, this didn’t sit well with Aaron Rodgers. He had been the face of the franchise for 15 years and, in his mind, Gutekunst went behind his back and drafted his replacement.
The Jordan Love situation didn’t negatively impact Rodgers’s 2020 season, and perhaps even motivated the 37 year old to play one of the best years of his career, winning a third MVP trophy.
However, his individual success hasn’t done much to further his desire to remain in Green Bay. Reports of the reigning MVP being “disgruntled” came out, after which Gutekunst promptly claimed Rodgers would not be traded.
Clearly, the situation has taken a wild twist.
Aaron Rodgers Demands That Packers Fire GM Brian Gutekunst
According to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, Rodgers is specifically “disgruntled” with Gutekunst. Robsinon has an unnamed source within Rodgers’s camp who claims the QB is willing to anything necessary to get what he wants.
In other words, bad news for Packers fans. If the team doesn’t trade him or cater to his (rather unprofessional) alleged demand, he may skip the entire offseason or simply retire, for example.
Robinson’s source also claims that Packers CEO Mark Murphy is aware of the situation. It would be Murphy’s job, of course, to fire Gutekunst if the rumors are true.
“The ball is in Mark’s court,” the unnamed source said.
