The Green Bay Packers are undergoing a changing of the guard at the quarterback position for the first time in 15 years. Aaron Rodgers is [eventually] going to be traded to the New York Jets to make room for Jordan Love, who the Packers drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Despite previous comments, Rodgers has become more like Brett Favre on his way out of Green Bay than he probably would have imagined himself being. Some of his comments about Brian Gutekunst and the organization as a whole have rubbed many people, including former players, the wrong way. One of these is Pro Football Hall of Famer LeRoy Butler.
LeRoy Butler Takes Exception with Aaron Rodgers’ Comments about the Green Bay Packers
The last time Aaron Rodgers spoke publicly was when he told The Pat McAfee Show his side of the story, of how he was leaning towards retirement when he went into the darkness and came out to find that the Packers were shopping him around on the trade market. He professed his love for the Packers organization and the fans while constantly complaining how his poor treatment at the hands of the front office. His comments have divided Packers fans, much like Brett Favre’s departure did 15 years ago. LeRoy Butler talked with Tyler Dunne of Go Long about Rodgers’ comments, and had some pretty strong words for the soon-to-be-former quarterback.
LeRoy Butler Says Aaron Rodgers Forgot to Put the Team First
In speaking with Dunne, Butler said,
“I can’t say it enough, that ‘G’ will never change. Sometimes, players — especially the quarterback, the last two quarterbacks to go to the Jets — forget about that. Those guys in the locker room deserve better than this.”
This is easy to see given Rodgers’ absence at preseason workouts and practices over the last few years. It was forgivable (at least to fans) when Rodgers was playing well and had chemistry with his wide receivers. However, when Rodgers’ decided to skip all offseason team activities until training camp, despite having three new rookie wide receivers on the team, it was clear that he was only interested in himself at that point. Sure, he had friends on the team and was a good teammate when present. However, it was clear to all at that point that Rodgers is a “me-first” guy. Another comment Butler made in his interview with Dunne cemented this point:
“They drafted a young man, Antuan Edwards, as my replacement. I was OK with it. You know why? Because when I leave — in my head, I’m not going to play forever — I want the team to succeed. He should be happy they drafted Jordan Love. To say, ‘I’m going to hand the keys to a guy because I want that G up there to succeed.’ But it’s not about the team. And that’s what’s most disappointing.”
LeRoy Butler Had High Praise for Green Bay Packers General Manager Brian Gutekunst
Dunne asked Butler if Rodgers’ criticism of Brian Gutekunst and the Packers’ front office was made any sense to him. Butler responded with:
“It really doesn’t. Listen, I know Gutekunst a little bit. I don’t know him that great. But he seems to be a very approachable guy. If you have any grievances, you can go to him. Gutekunst is a problem-solver. Not a problem. He’s a problem-solver. Case in point, when he went and got Randall Cobb. That proves that Gutekunst is doing everything possible. But he has 52 other guys that he needs to manage. I’m proud of the way Gutekunst handled it.
“There’s a way to do it. There really is. I take it personal when you’re attacking a team that gave you so much.”
Butler makes a good point. Despite the public rift between Rodgers and the organization in 2021, they did everything they could to make him happy: trading for Randall Cobb, letting him skip offseason workouts with no penalty, and giving him a horrible $150 million that was fully guaranteed.
Listen, no one is saying that Rodgers was not a great quarterback for the Packers. He won a Super Bowl, four MVP’s, and provided fans with some incredible memories.
But let’s not sit here and pretend he is a team-first guy. For years, Rodgers has been a “me first” guy. That only kind of attitude can only fly in Green Bay for so long.
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