Getty Image / Cooper Neill
It has been so long since Aaron Rodgers played any meaningful football that it’s hard to remember what it was like when pundits were constantly talking about his on-field play and not his off-field distractions.
Earlier this week, the Aaron Rodgers news cycle was all about his ‘modest’ performance bonus from 2023, a measly $81.14 which was the lowest of any NFL player last season. Of course, Rodgers injured himself on the opening drive of the Jets’ season so the ‘performance’ counted was as small as possible.
Later in the week, former Green Bay teammate Marquez Valdes-Scantling shifted the narrative and spoke about how Aaron Rodgers is one of the greatest teammates of all time. He went as far as saying that Aaron Rodgers cares more about his teammates than he cares about the game of football.
‘One Of The Greatest (Teammates) You’ll Ever Find’ — Marquez Valdes-Scantling on Aaron Rodgers
.@MVS__11 says @AaronRodgers12 is one of the greatest teammates he’s ever had and makes it clear that Aaron Rodgers cares more about his teammates than the actual game of football itself. @CBSSportsRadio
pic.twitter.com/CX9XznDgE1 pic.twitter.com/rMjz6JMrgS
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) April 4, 2024
The full quotes from Marquez Valdes-Scantling are:
“Man, he’s one of the greatest you’ll ever find. He cares more about his teammates than about the game of football. You know, I think that’s something that people really don’t understand. Because people get this perception of him that he’s this diva or all about himself, that’s the furthest thing from the truth.”
He went on to discuss how Aaron Rodgers builds strong bonds with his teammates, saying:
“Aaron has taught me so much on and off the field,. He’s a big advocate of mental health and how you approach life, not just football. The things that he’s gone through over the years, he shares that and kind of just lets you know, like, ‘hey, I’m human too.’ Just for him to be able to open that up and be a great friend to me, not even just a teammate, I’m forever indebted to him.”
Honestly, if you mull it over, this feels like it might be true. Has Rodgers ever come off as someone who absolutely loves the game of football? Have there ever been any ‘Kobe-esque’ stories of Rodgers waking up before dawn to put in the extra hours?
He very well might’ve been but the public perception has always been that Aaron Rodgers is just a really good football player, a generational talent, and there’s never been much focus on his passion for the game of football.
Currently, the New York Jets have a predicted over/under win total of 9.5 games in the 2024 season. That’s the same O/U as the Miami Dolphins who were electric last season when the team was healthy. Will Rodgers come back healthy and have the team firing on all cylinders in 2024? We’ll find out in about 5 months…