Aaron Rodgers — Issue with Green Bay Packers about philosophy, not Jordan Love

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Aaron Rodgers’ problem with the Inexperienced Bay Packers isn’t their drafting of quarterback Jordan Love however somewhat about an organizational philosophy that he believes has gone awry.

That’s the story Rodgers instructed Monday evening in an look on SportsCenter to commemorate Kenny Mayne’s ultimate present on ESPN. It was the primary public clarification for the way the standoff between him and his staff reached this level.

Whereas Rodgers admitted that issues modified considerably final 12 months when normal supervisor Brian Gutekunst traded as much as draft Love, Rodgers’ potential substitute, he recommended his beef was extra with how Gutekunst dealt with it.

“With my state of affairs, look it’s by no means been concerning the draft choose, selecting Jordan,” Rodgers instructed Mayne. “I like Jordan; he’s a terrific child. [We’ve had] a whole lot of enjoyable to work collectively. Love the teaching workers, love my teammates, love the fan base in Inexperienced Bay. An unimaginable 16 years. It’s simply type of a few philosophy and possibly forgetting that it’s concerning the people who make the factor go. It’s about character, it’s about tradition, it’s about doing issues the appropriate approach.”

Rodgers, 37, is coming off his third MVP award. He believes by enjoying so properly final 12 months — when he led the Packers to a 13-3 report and a berth within the NFC Championship Sport for the second straight season — he altered the Packers’ plans to maneuver on from him. Gutekunst has admitted that he ought to have communicated higher with Rodgers earlier than he traded as much as take Love at No. 26 within the 2023 draft.

“Loads of this was put in movement final 12 months, and the wrench was simply type of thrown into it once I received MVP and performed the way in which I performed final 12 months,” Rodgers stated through the interview. “That is simply type of, I believe, a spill-out of all that. However it’s concerning the folks, and that’s crucial factor. Inexperienced Bay has at all times been concerning the folks — from Curly Lambeau being proprietor and founder to the ’60s with [Vince] Lombardi and Bart Starr and all these unimaginable names to the ’90s groups with coach [Mike] Holmgren and Favrey [Brett Favre] and the Minister of Protection [Reggie White] to the run that we’ve been on. It’s concerning the folks.”

Rodgers praised nearly everybody besides Gutekunst and the Packers’ entrance workplace. ESPN’s Adam Schefter had reported in April that Rodgers had turn out to be disgruntled with that a part of the group.

“I believe typically folks overlook what actually makes a company,” Rodgers stated Monday. “Historical past is vital, legacy of so many individuals who’ve come earlier than you. However the folks, that’s crucial factor. Individuals make a company, folks make a enterprise and typically that will get forgotten. Tradition is constructed brick by brick, the muse of it by the folks, not by the group, not by the constructing, not by the company. It’s constructed by the folks.

“I’ve been lucky sufficient to play with numerous wonderful, wonderful folks and started working for some wonderful folks as properly. It’s these people who construct the muse of these entities. I believe typically we overlook that.”

Rodgers confirmed ESPN’s report from earlier on Monday that he skipped the staff’s first OTA session, however he declined to say how he needs the state of affairs to finish. Whereas OTAs are voluntary, Rodgers will miss out on a $500,000 exercise bonus tied to participation within the offseason program.

If Rodgers doesn’t report for subsequent month’s minicamp, he’s topic to a effective of $93,085 ($15,515 for the primary missed day, $31,030 for the second missed day and $46,540 for the third missed day). It might get much more costly come coaching camp. There’s a obligatory effective of $50,000 per day missed, plus one week’s regular-season wage for every preseason recreation missed.

If Rodgers needs Gutekunst eliminated as GM as a situation of his return, that seems unlikely to occur. The Packers have remained dedicated to Gutekunst, and he has remained insistent that he is not going to commerce Rodgers, who has three years left on his contract.