Green Bay Packers

Packers president claims Aaron Rodgers drama has the Green Bay fan base divided

Published Jun. 5, 2021 7:09 p.m. ET

The Aaron Rodgers saga has taken a new turn, and this time, it’s headed straight for the fans.

On Monday, a report surfaced that Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst is holding firm that he "will not" trade Aaron Rodgers in the wake of his first public comments on the situation in Green Bay.

Rodgers, who told ESPN’s Kenny Mayne that his issue with the Packers was about culture, as opposed to Green Bay's selecting QB Jordan Love in the 2020 draft, still has the sports world wondering where he will be this fall.

"It’s just kind of about a philosophy and maybe forgetting that it is about the people that make the thing go," Rodgers said. "It’s about doing things the right way."

Green Bay is still hoping to fix the Rodgers situation before the NFL season kicks off in September, but the organization is now claiming that the disgruntled feelings go beyond team facilities.

"The situation we face with Aaron Rodgers has divided our fan base," Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy wrote in his monthly column "Murphy Takes 5."

"The emails and letters that I've received reflect this fact. As I wrote here last month, we remain committed to resolving things with Aaron and want him to be our quarterback in 2021 and beyond. We are working to resolve the situation and realize that the less both sides say publicly, the better."

In May’s "Murphy Takes 5" column, Murphy wrote that the ongoing dispute between Rogers and Gutekunst "is an issue that the [Packers] have been working on for several months" and that the team was "very much aware of Aaron's concerns" and remained "committed to Aaron in 2021 and beyond."

So is the city of Green Bay as divided as Murphy suggests, or will Rodgers' popularity with Packers fans withstand the current situation?

The three-time NFL MVP has skipped out on all of the team’s voluntary offseason programs so far, including OTAs and the accompanying $500,000 workout bonus. Instead, Rogers has been vacationing in Hawaii — cliff jumping and all — opting for the karaoke stage instead of the practice field.

Even so, some Packers fans have taken to social media to express their praise of the 37-year-old veteran and hope for some resolution.

"I have tremendous admiration for Aaron. The guy has given so much to Green Bay, it’s cool to see him just living life," one fan commented.

"Time heals all wounds. Thanks for the memories. I hope you work things out and become another Packer legend that I grew up with," another wrote.

On the other hand, some fans have taken to social media to voice their displeasure with their quarterback's actions.

"Nice. Our expensive quarterback is scaling a waterfall. He’s such a liability!!" one person commented.

"Get back to work 12. You are [hurting] your teammates. Don't [be] selfish," another said.

"Homie is supposed to be at camp," a third wrote.

The Packers’ mandatory veteran minicamp begins Tuesday, but head coach Matt LaFleur told Packers News on Wednesday that he doesn’t know if Rodgers will show up for the three-day camp. If the QB opts not to, it would cost him $93,085.

"It's important that we have all our guys, and certainly we'd love him to be here, and hopefully we'll see him Tuesday," LaFleur said.

LaFleur's uncertainty is understandable, given that it has been a bit difficult to keep up with Rodgers' island hopping.

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On "The Herd," Colin Cowherd delved into whether Rodgers has the fan support and leverage needed to play (and win) a waiting game with the Packers.

"He's lost the fan base in Green Bay. You hear that sports radio chatter," Cowherd began. "Aaron now has exercised his ‘I’m disappointed’ muscle a dozen times, so Green Bay is used to it, prepared for it. They dealt with it with Favre. They’re over it.

"Aaron doesn’t have the leverage. That’s why the way he wins this is by having the stomach to deal with it.

"Aaron has gone public for three to four years with his unhappiness, and [the Packers] never once folded," Cowherd continued.

"Green Bay is the Midwest. … Did Aaron, like a bad comedian, simply misjudge the room and the temperature in it? … Aaron posts Hawaii pictures with his celebrity friends, on guitar, ponytail. Doesn’t really resonate in Milwaukee. … He released information to multiple reporters on draft day to humiliate the franchise. He did not only skip OTAs, but so did all his best receivers, almost as if it were orchestrated. … He’s never been a perfect fit. … Gutekunst and Murphy are hearing fans say, ‘Let’s move on. He’s abandoned us. He’s not one of us.’"

Rodgers’ fate in Green Bay remains up in the air, but at least the QB is no stranger to finding himself in the middle of a divided fan base.

He became the Packers' starting quarterback in 2008 — the year former Packers legend Brett Favre returned from "retirement." Some Packers fans wanted Favre back at the helm, while others were ready to move on and see Rodgers take over.

History seems to be repeating itself, but Rodgers has been through this before and knows the best way to handle the situation … with a Mai Tai.

Only kidding.

(Sort of.)

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