The Aaron Rodgers situation -- let's call it drama, why not -- is not losing strength any time soon.
As we continue to discuss what went wrong and where it might be headed from here, it's wise to check in with those who understand Rodgers best. A perfect person for that role is former Packers receiver and current NFL Network analyst James Jones, who offered an intriguing, yet ambiguous explanation for where the rumblings of discontent might be coming from.
“I speak with Aaron all the time," Jones said during a Thursday appearance on NFL NOW. "I talk to him a lot and it has nothing to do about getting the GM fired. It has nothing to do about getting a new contract and getting money. Everything that Aaron Rodgers has done since he’s been a Green Bay Packer, this is not him, he’s not a guy that’s going to go out there and leak all this stuff and say he wants out of there and be giving all this stuff to the media. That’s never been him.
... "So, whoever leaked this or whoever’s coming out saying that, as a friend of Aaron Rodgers, I can say that it’s not him. And it’s never been him to do anything like that. So, when the organization side of it comes into place and you talk about him and the GM and the head coach working together, I think it’s fixable, I think they’ll be able to get that stuff done. But I think that’s what it’s about.”
Jones is correct in that Rodgers has never been one to cause a stir because of his own unhappiness. Even last year, Rodgers didn't throw a fit after the Packers drafted his projected replacement, quarterback Jordan Love, with their first-round pick instead of adding another skilled weapon for the veteran to work with.
That's part of what makes all of this drama so unusual for Rodgers, especially when he's seemed content to let others do the talking for him.
Former teammate A.J. Hawk attended the Kentucky Derby with Rodgers recently, and he also participated in the same segment with Jones Thursday. Hawk delivered an opinion that both reinforced Jones' statement while also pointing out that this apparent divide that is growing into a chasm didn't just appear overnight.
As Jones said, the Packers haven't gone out of their way to put everything into winning now, while Rodgers is still around. And they've yet to commit further to Rodgers beyond his current deal.
“This isn’t one thing," Hawk said. "Like, one thing didn’t just all of a sudden happen and Aaron, I don’t think, wanted this public anyway. So, we’re in a weird spot right now, the Packers are in a very tough spot and Aaron, as well, so I’m hopeful that something can happen.”
On the bright side, Hawk said "it doesn't feel like all gloom and doom around" Rodgers, but he believes "it's going to be an uphill battle to figure out whatever the rift may be between Aaron and the front office." Jones and Hawk both think the two sides can work it out.
But for now, as we attempt to read tea leaves and determine what exactly is going on between Rodgers and the Packers, the best we can do is glean information from those closest to him. They, like the rest of us, aren't convinced this ends happily for anyone.
Tune in to the 2021 NFL Schedule release at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 12, on NFL Network, NFL.com and the NFL app.