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Aaron Rodgers Has Been Sharp in Camp and He Explains Why — Sort Of

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Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers

Aaron Rodgers is a two-time MVP and a Super Bowl champion. He helped guide the Green Bay Packers to the NFC title game a year ago, and he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. The Packers quarterback has been very sharp during the early part of training camp, and without getting into specifics, he says he knows why.

Aaron Rodgers had a strange offseason

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The Green Bay Packers were one game away from a Super Bowl appearance last season. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers again threw for more than 4,000 yards. He tossed 26 touchdown passes and had just four interceptions. His receiving corps consists of Davante Adams and not a whole lot more.

So when the 2020 draft rolled around, it was expected the Packers might provide Rodgers with some receiving help. Instead, they immediately drafted Rodgers’ future replacement. The Packers drafted Utah State quarterback Jordan Love in the first round and traded up to do so. In seven rounds, Green Bay never drafted a wide receiver.

According to The New York Post, Rodgers said when the Packers traded up, he felt it might be to grab a receiver. Instead, they took his backup. “When they traded up, I definitely perked up a little bit,” Rodgers said. “And then I got a text – because everything is so delayed. I got a text from my agent, my marketing agent who I love and he just texted ‘quarterback.’ I was like, ‘Oh, wow. OK.’”

Rodgers isn’t holding a grudge

Aaron Rodgers has been there before. Jordan Love didn’t ask to be a member of the Green Bay Packers. The team is simply taking a quarterback they love and building for the future. It’s a baffling move since the Packers were one game away from a Super Bowl berth and chose to build for the future instead of plugging up a few holes.

Rodgers was in Love’s shoes before. In 2005, the Green Bay Packers selected Rodgers in the first round when they have three-time MVP quarterback Brett Favre. Favre was still playing at a high level, but the Packers saw the potential in Rodgers and snagged him. The move was repeated when they drafted Love.

“Like I said, I wasn’t elated by the pick especially being one game away from the Super Bowl and feeling like we’re a couple players away, but at the same time I understand it’s a business,” Rodgers said, according to The New York Post. I know that’s the reality.”

Rodgers very sharp in camp

According to various reports, Aaron Rodgers has been extremely effective in camp. Is it because he has something to prove to the team? That doesn’t appear to be the case. According to Packers.com digital reporter Wes Hodkiewicz, Rodgers looked back at some of his own film and found something. Without getting into specifics, Rodgers said he saw something from 10 years ago that has helped him.

“Actually, it’s interesting, Rodgers said. “We were watching some old film of some of the cutups. As we do the installs, we’ll put some film alongside it. I just noticed something from a clip from 2010, actually. It kind of hit me. And I know it was 10 years ago but the next day I went out to practice and started working on what I saw on the film, and the last couple of days kind of happened.”

In 2011, Rodgers won the first of his two MVPs. If he can put up a third this year, the Packers might get that Super Bowl berth they fell short of last season.

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Mike Thomas
Sports Editor

Mike Thomas spent 23 years on staff and 16 years as the sports editor at The Herald News in Fall River, Mass., before joining Sportscasting in 2020. Mike has a deep knowledge of and passion for the NFL and NBA, and he excels at interviewing sports celebrities to find out their Super Bowl picks. A New England Newspaper and Press Association award-winning columnist and an avid sports memorabilia collector, Mike enjoys keeping up with all the sports news and the works of former Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly. You can find more of Mike's work on Muck Rack.

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Author photo
Mike Thomas Sports Editor

Mike Thomas spent 23 years on staff and 16 years as the sports editor at The Herald News in Fall River, Mass., before joining Sportscasting in 2020. Mike has a deep knowledge of and passion for the NFL and NBA, and he excels at interviewing sports celebrities to find out their Super Bowl picks. A New England Newspaper and Press Association award-winning columnist and an avid sports memorabilia collector, Mike enjoys keeping up with all the sports news and the works of former Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly. You can find more of Mike's work on Muck Rack.

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