GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Fans have mixed feelings about Thursday reports that Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers doesn’t want to come back to Green Bay. We spoke to a handful of them outside of Lambeau Field on Friday.
Some fans felt frustrated, let down, even betrayed.
“It really hurts. It lets me down. I’m not real happy about Aaron Rodgers…You hate to see this come to an end,” said Bill VanSistine of Luxemburg. “Him saying that, to me, is like a kick in the teeth.”
“Disbelief. It feels like a weird dream, I just don’t know what’s going to happen,” said Matthew from Fitchburg.
“The vibe throughout the season [felt] like he was definitely ready to commit to this season, so it kind of caught me off guard,” said Ben Lucas, a fan from Hennepin, Illinois.
Some said the front office and Rodgers just need get on the same page. Even the ladies celebrating a bachelorette party at the stadium had some strong views.
“I don’t want him to go! He’s MVP, he’s our team. Why would we get rid of him?” one woman said. “I just think it’s a bunch of drama and they need to put their panties on and stop being jerks about it.”
“They need to draft some wide receivers for him, give him some actual people who can catch the ball. He had no weapons last year besides [Davante] Adams, and if you’ve got everyone covering Adams or he’s hurt for a little bit? It’s just not helpful,” her friend said. “I don’t think the Packers will let him go. The only options that they’re going to have is for him to retire, and then he’s going to lose out and contract and then sign with somebody else. That’s the only option. I don’t think the Packers are going to take any type of trade.”
Some think the two sides will find common ground ahead of the 2021 season.
“I don’t think he’s going to go. I think it was a bunch of hype put out by the NFL and I don’t think he’s going,” Julie said.
Others don’t quite agree.
“I don’t expect him to come back, if I’m being honest,” Ben Lucas said. “I don’t blame him for being concerned, or kinda annoyed with the front office after drafting Jordan Love and then a running back last year when we were in a ‘win now’ mode…I think the front office hasn’t really listen to him or taking his opinions come draft day throughout the past few years and I think that’s just gone past the breaking point for him and I think it’s just over.”
“It felt almost like a done deal. He’s not going to be back. It’s hard to imagine him saying ‘I don’t want to be here,’ and still being the starting quarterback,” Matthew of Fitchburg added.
Another fan declined an interview, but told WTAQ reporters that it was ‘good riddance’ that Rodgers would be leaving.
Meanwhile, there was some advice from the experts. Dave and Lisa Mansour are members of the Cleveland Browns faithful, and they’re quite familiar with the quarterback carousel.
“Being from Cleveland, we get the aches and pains of having our team lose a valuable player. So hopefully they can figure out a way to keep him, but I don’t know,” Dave said. “Look at Tom Brady, I don’t want to say he’s as good as him, but I bet [he’s] got enough left in the tank and he’s 5-6 years younger. I mean, why not get a lot? Get some draft picks…I hope they find somebody. I mean, you can’t have a good NFL without a good Green Bay team, right?”
“I think he’s got to go. If he doesn’t want to be here, he’s just going to be a cancer in the locker room and it’s time to get as much as you can for him before it’s too late,” Lisa added.
So what would the plan be if Rodgers is either traded or chooses to retire?
“I don’t know. I’m wondering what Seattle is doing with their quarterback, he’s not happy there either,” VanSistine said. “Russell [Wilson], he was awesome. One year with the Badgers and [took] them a long way. I don’t know. There’s no there’s no win-win situation, unfortunately.”
The organization has said they will not trade Rodgers, despite a number of rumors that the Denver Broncos are making a solid run for him.
Packers continue to insist they will not trade QB Aaron Rodgers.
Here’s the math if they do:
🏈 Rodgers currently counts $37.2 million against cap.
🏈 If traded today, he counts $38.35M against cap.
🏈 If traded after June 1, he’s $21.15M against cap this year, $17.2M next year https://t.co/nllVKk6it2— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 30, 2021
I’m hearing @AaronRodgers12 to @Broncos is close to a done deal… still could fall thru but fingers crossed 🤞🏽 pic.twitter.com/9C4GZnT9VL
— mark schlereth (@markschlereth) April 29, 2021
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