One Hall of Fame QB asks Green Bay: 'Don’t you get tired of it?'
One Hall of Fame QB asks Green Bay: 'Don’t you get tired of it?'
NFL potpourri column with thoughts from three Hall of Famers. Terry Bradshaw isn't shy on Aaron Rodgers, Charles Woodson shares his insight on the Jordan Love decision. Also, Gronk talks tight ends.
PHOENIX — Nothing the quarterback pushes publicly is a coincidence. We needed to hear this all for some reason. And his timing with news? Precise as a 2011 spiral to the end zone.
Two years ago, he hijacked the NFL Draft. Aaron Rodgers made it clear he wanted out of Green Bay and, the next three months, an army of allies tarred-and-feathered the franchise in the public square. Rather than accept a bounty of picks — the correct move — the Packers begged and pleaded and granted the quarterback a seat at the table.
This week, Super Bowl Week, the 39-year-old quarterback sashayed his way right back into the headlines. Rodgers indicated on the Pat McAfee Show that he’ll soon slip into a “darkness retreat.” For four days, at an undisclosed location, he’ll sit in complete isolation and meditate. Meals will be delivered to the house but he will have no contact with the outside world. No phone. No TV. No ayahuasca trips. But don’t worry. Rodgers did say this isolation “stimulates DMT, so there can be some hallucinations in there.”
And, drumroll, please. At the conclusion of this retreat, Rodgers hopes to make a decision on playing football in 2023.
Fun!
As the quarterback expected — orchestrated is probably the better verb — Radio Row in downtown Phoenix was abuzz. I took one lap around the tables of stations and podcasts and TV shows to anecdotally hear what the national conversation was after this Onion-level comment from Rodgers and it felt something like being whiplashed into a tsunami of takes. For the third straight offseason, everyone is talking nonstop about Rodgers and his future. If it’s attention he sought, attention was delivered. Because, c’mon. Retirement? The man has 58 million reasons to return and if you think this is a quarterback who’ll voluntarily share the Canton spotlight with Tom Brady in 2028, give me a call. I have beachfront property on the coast of Antarctica to sell you.
We’ll explore this situation in-depth at a later date — the 2022-23 NFL season is still in-progress, after all — but I cannot help but wonder if the Packers are inching closer toward throwing their hands up (once and for all) and saying “enough is enough.” For so long, the talent justified any headache. Now, there are reports trickling out that the Packers are open to trading Rodgers. Despite the fact that he does not have a no-trade clause in his contract, the QB has also hinted on McAfee he’s not pleased that he’s not privy to such discussions. The front office did not take our advice the last two years, but they can still score a decent haul for their aging ayahuasca enthusiast. Because, frankly, there aren’t many good quarterbacks in the NFL. Pair these early reports with everything we’re already hearing from Sean Payton in Denver — there’s a new sheriff in town — and it’s hard to find logic in Green Bay running it back for a 16th season.
Even the Packers fan base seems to be changing its tune.
This post, I figured we’d hit pause on Super Bowl LVII to rip around the NFL, Rodgers to Wilson to Gronk. Starting, of course, with the four-time MVP in Green Bay. At Fox Sports’ media availability, Go Long caught up with Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw and Hall of Fame cornerback Charles Woodson for their thoughts on the Packers’ predicament, as well as the legend Rob Gronkowski for more tight end analysis
The four-time champion Bradshaw has never been shy when it comes to the Packers quarterback.
Asked plainly what Green Bay should do with Rodgers, he first shakes his head. Exasperated.
Then, he does not hold back.
“Hey, you all made that bed,” Bradshaw begins. He’s calling the shots up there.