Aaron Rodgers’ offseason decision to sign with the Packers for less money than he could have made elsewhere has backfired in a major way. Despite his team’s 0-1 start, there are still many people who believe that Rodgers should be praised for his decision and not criticized.
Aaron Rodgers’ foolish offseason mistake deserves major criticism following the Packers’ embarrassing week 1 loss. The Packers were destroyed by the Bears, and it is clear that Rodgers made a huge mistake in his decision to leave Green Bay for the first time in his career.
Aaron Rodgers gets off to a bad start in the 2024 NFL season, which is just a week old.
During the Green Bay Packers’ blowout defeat to the Jameis Winston-led New Orleans Saints, the future Hall of Fame quarterback passed for just 133 yards and two interceptions. Rodgers’ QBR is at 17.8. It’s the worst the two-time MVP has looked in a long time.
While Rodgers will almost certainly bounce back sooner rather than later, it’s difficult to overlook the role that some of his summer shenanigans had in his dreadful Week 1 performance. One particularly blunder over the offseason stands out.
In retrospect, Aaron Rodgers’ choice to miss OTAs this past summer seems terrible.
Aaron Rodgers | Getty Images/James Gilbert
There was a lot of talk about Rodgers and his future in Green Bay this offseason.
Following the pick of QB Jordan Love in the 2024 NFL Draft and the ensuing playoff elimination at the hands of Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, trade speculations abound. Rodgers wasn’t hiding his dissatisfaction, either. He has spoken openly about the possibility of joining a new club in 2024 on many occasions.
Clearly, Rodgers and the Packers’ general staff found a happy medium this summer. However, it wasn’t without controversy and ambiguity in the lead-up. Rodgers skipped OTAs (organized team activities) during the summer, something he had never done before in his 16-year NFL career.
Against New Orleans, the Packers’ lack of chemistry and cohesiveness was apparent.
Today, the Saints defense limited Aaron Rodgers, the 2024 NFL MVP, to a passing rating of 36.8.
#GBvsNO This is the lowest passing rating ever by a reigning NFL MVP in his first game of the following season.
September 13, 2024 — NFL Research (@NFLResearch)
For what it’s worth, OTAs aren’t a required offseason activity. Players are free to miss them and enjoy some additional vacation time without facing any consequences or penalties. However, it’s become something of an unspoken law in the NFL that starting quarterbacks must be present. It’s critical to establish chemistry and connection with new players, rookies, and/or coaches at this point.
Rodgers was clearly utilizing this little “holdout” as a means to send a message to the Packers management staff during all of the turmoil this summer.
It’s worth mentioning that a handful of Rodgers’ colleagues, including standout wide receiver Davante Adams, opted out of OTAs as well. This also helps evaluate the team’s lack of preparation after their humiliating Week 1 loss.
Moving ahead, the spotlight is on Aaron Rodgers.
“If we start freaking out after one week, we’re in danger,” Aaron Rodgers said.
They won’t be “kept captive” by that one game, they said. They reiterated that they are a good squad that can recover. #Packers
September 16, 2024 — Lily Zhao (@LilySZhao)
We’ll never know how much missing OTAs contributed to the Packers’ disastrous Week 1 performance. What is certain, though, is that the Packers’ offseason upheaval will play a part in how they line up on Sunday. There’s an elephant in the room the size of Aaron Rodgers that no one knows what to deal with.
On one side of the argument, we’re talking about Aaron Rodgers. He’s an all-time great coming off a season in which he was named MVP. The Packers, on the other hand, have a young, strong-armed quarterback in Jordan Love, who received first-team repetitions during OTAs. If the Rodgers issue persists, the Packers may be forced to consider their options.
Meanwhile, Rodgers is under pressure to show that missing OTAs isn’t such a huge issue. If he fails to deliver in Week 2, though, much more attention will be drawn to his blunder in the offseason.
Pro Football Reference provided all stats.
RELATED: Aaron Rodgers’ Misfortunes Two AFC teams have a chance to be Super Bowl contenders after a strong first week.
Aaron Rodgers’ contract end was a major mistake for the Packers. The team has now lost their first game of the season, and it is clear that they are not playing to their full potential. Reference: aaron rodgers contract end.
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