Five illuminating quotes from Aaron Rodgers' Wednesday press conference
Aaron Rodgers didn’t mince words in his first press conference since returning to Green Bay.
On Wednesday, Rodgers spoke freely in an incredibly candid press conference ahead of the Packers' first day of training camp.
During the nearly 33-minute conference, the reigning MVP revealed exactly what was going on in his mind over the past few months and how things go to be so tense within the Packers organization.
While this season might be the last time we see Rodgers in green and gold (or any colors, for that matter), thankfully, these words will last a lifetime.
With that, here are the top five quotes from Rodgers' exchange with the media:
1. It was never about money, but rather security
Rodgers said that the issue with the Packers was less about financial security and more about career security, and things came to a head when quarterback Jordan Love was selected in 2020 without his knowledge.
While the sports world came to know about the Rodgers-Packers offseason drama in April, the 37-year-old Rodgers revealed that the issues had been brewing for a long time and were solidified in February when he expressed his desire to have more say in things within the team, a request he felt was ignored by the franchise.
"I felt like if you can't commit to me past 2021, and I'm not a part of recruiting process in free agency, and if I'm not a part of the future, then instead of letting me be a lame-duck quarterback, if you want to make a change and move forward, then go ahead and do it. That obviously didn't happen.
"Post the draft, what basically happened was [the front office] said, 'We'll give you some money now. Let's see if we can throw some money at you,' and I said from the start it wasn't about the money. … Obviously, I didn't show up for the offseason program or minicamp. To me, it was bigger than this. It was about being a resource for the organization."
Rodgers went on to say that the organization didn't discuss any type of contract extension with him until May, and it wasn't until management felt the pressure of his possible departure for another job opportunity – presumably hosting "Jeopardy" – that the organization changed its tune.
"It seemed natural based on the way I played to at least have a conversation about it. There wasn't a conversation."
2. Green Bay is no paradise
Rodgers made it clear that he knows players aren't joining the Packers for their love of cheese and the agriculture industry.
"I think we can all understand, you know, Green Bay isn't a huge vacation destination," he said. "People are coming here to play with me, play with our team, knowing that they can win a championship here, and the fact that I haven't been used in those discussions was one I wanted to change moving forward."
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3. He wasn't just upset with the mishandling of his situation
Rodgers said he wanted to help the organization grow and learn from its mistakes – specifically the way he feels the organization had disrespected veterans on their way out of Green Bay, such as Randall Cobb, Charles Woodson, Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Julius Peppers and T.J. Lang, to name a few.
"Great locker room guys, high-character guys who weren't offered a contract at all or were extremely low-balled or, maybe in my opinion, not given the respect on the way out that guys of their status and stature and high character deserved," he said.
He went on to reveal that being involved more would allow him to do his job to the best of his ability.
"There's not many people who've been in a position of influence longer than I have in this building, so it gives me a unique perspective to shed light on things and work together. One of the most important things is chemistry and cohesion in an organization," Rodgers said. "It's not where I need to have final say on anything. I never asked for that. I just want to be in the conversation. I'm interested in how they look at certain players.
"I'm not asking for anything that other great quarterbacks across the last few decades have not gotten – the opportunity to just be in the conversation."
4. He loves the fans
Rodgers was sure to express his love for the Packers' fanbase specifically during the press conference.
"The opportunity to play on Lambeau Field has been a dream come true and to be in my 17th season is really special."
5. He doesn't know what the future holds
Rodgers mentioned that he considered retirement several times throughout the offseason, but he didn't say whether or not he would hang it up after this season.
"I know I can still play, and I want to still play," he said. "It's an incredible opportunity to play this game, but it's a tough business. … I'm definitely not closing the door to anything. I'm always optimistic."
While Rodgers' future in Green Bay and in the league might remain a mystery, his feelings toward the Packers franchise are no longer open for interpretation.
That discussion ended on Wednesday.
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