Rodgers Breaks His Silence, “It is about the people”.

Last night, on Kenny Mayne’s final episode of Sports Center, Aaron Rodgers finally broke his silence on the situation that is unfolding between him and the Green Bay Packers. Although he did not say much and we still do not have a clear cut answer as to how this is all going to unfold, his cryptic message did provide some insight to the issues going on in Titletown. One thing he made very clear is that it is way deeper than the drafting of Jordan Love.

“With my situation, look it’s never been about the draft pick, picking Jordan,” Rodgers said. “I love Jordan; he’s a great kid, a lot of fun to work together. Love the coaching staff, love my teammates, love the fan base in Green Bay. An incredible 16 years. It’s just kind of about a philosophy and maybe forgetting that it is about the people that make the thing go. It’s about character, it’s about culture, it’s about doing things the right way.”

In his statement Rodgers voiced love for almost everyone involved with the organization, everyone except for CEO Mark Murphy and GM Brian Gutekunst, the two men who have been making the personnel decisions since Ted Thompson retired after the 2017 season. The two men, who on draft day, Adam Schefter reported were the genesis of Rodgers’ unhappiness.

“I think sometimes people forget what really makes an organization,” Rodgers told Mayne. “History is important, legacy of so many people who’ve come before you. But the people, that’s the most important thing. People make an organization, people make a business and sometimes that gets forgotten. Culture is built brick by brick, the foundation of it by the people, not by the organization, not by the building, not by the corporation. It’s built by the people.”

“I’ve been fortunate enough to play with a number of amazing, amazing people and got to work for some amazing people as well. It’s those people that build the foundation of those entities. I think sometimes we forget that.”

Since taking office in 2018, Gutekunst has made the decision to part ways with many great people in the Packers organization. He set the tone early by blatantly disrespecting Rodgers’ favorite weapon and all time great Packer, Jordy Nelson, by refusing to sign him to a contract despite him openly stating his desire to stay with the team even if that meant taking a pay cut.

The decision to part ways with Nelson was just the beginning. Since then, Gutekunst has made the same decision with other integral members of the Packers organization. Important members of the franchise such as Clay Matthews, Randall Cobb and even Rodgers’ beloved QB coach Alex Van Pelt were all let go without any say by the future hall of famer. It is obvious after listening to him last night Rodgers believes the organization was looking to make the same decision with him before the end of his contract, a decision that he has complicated with his 2020 MVP campaign.

“A lot of this was put in motion last year and the wrench was just kind of thrown into it when I won MVP and played the way I played last year,” Rodgers said. “So this is just kind of, I think, the spill-out of all that. But it is about the people and that’s the most important thing. Green Bay has always been about the people. From Curly Lambeau being owner and founder to the ’60s with Lombardi and Bart Starr and all those incredible names to the ’90s teams with coach Holmgren and Favre and the Minister of Defense [Reggie White] to the run that we’ve been on. It’s about the people.”

There were no definitive answers given about how this situation is going to end. Reports have been made surrounding Rodgers wanting Gutekunst fired, however CEO Mark Murphy has restated that will not happen. Meanwhile, Gutekunst has reiterated numerous times that the organization will not be trading Aaron Rodgers, who still has three years left on his contract. As of now, the stalemate continues. For the first time in his career Rodgers did not show up for the start optional OTA’s, which could be an indicator of what is in store for the future. June 8th is the first mandatory day of the season, a no show from Rodgers officially makes him a holdout. As that date approaches all we can do is hope for an unlikely resolution to this unfortunate situation that should have never been created in the first place.