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Aaron Rodgers is not having the year he’d envisioned with the Green Bay Packers. The reigning NFL MVP has struggled through his first 13 contests, leading his team to just five wins.
Rodgers’ play on the field has taken a significant dip as he’s on pace for his lowest passing output as a starting quarterback. The signal caller’s also seen his touchdown total slip while experiencing an uptick in interceptions.
Many have blamed the passer’s struggles on the loss of offensive weapons, most notably Davante Adams, who was traded to the Raiders over the offseason. But there’s another factor that could be taken into effect, and it’s something that Aaron Rodgers spoke to this week.
Green Bay didn’t have its bye until Week 14 of the 2022 season. That’s a long time to wait given the grueling nature of sport. Aches and pains build up, which has been the case for the quarterback this year. Injuries include setbacks to both his ribs and thumb.
Having gone through that week of rest, Rodgers appears to be in better spirits. But it doesn’t sound like he was happy about having to wait this long for that bye. Aaron Rodgers had the following to say while making his weekly appearance on the Pat McAfee Show.
“The thumb is doing a lot better. It was nice to have that week off. The ribs are doing better too, I was able to finally start getting some sleep. My body’s feeling a lot better. Nobody wants a Week 14 bye… [long pause]… No one does. But it always feels good coming back after the bye.”
It seemed like a bit of a shot at his head coach, who had the option to take a bye week following the Packers’ Week 5 trip to London. Since Week 6, Green Bay is just 2-6, with wear and tear at the quarterback position being a legitimate concern.
It’s worth noting that Matt LaFleur, himself, has been critical of his decision not to take the early bye week given the way the season’s played out. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers will look to salvage what’s left of the schedule as they hope to somehow sneak into the NFL playoffs.
Related: Aaron Rodgers gets into heated exchange with Matt LaFleur