Following Green Bay’s heartbreaking loss to San Francisco on Saturday, social media immediately became a place of controversy, division, and sorrow for Packers fans. For that reason, many have chosen to take a break from using popular platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and/or Twitter. Really, can we blame them?
However, social media posts made by players at the end of a season can be very telling. That’s especially true for Green Bay right now after a year as bizarre as this one has been, and with such uncertainty going forward.
So, let’s see what we can sleuth out from the Packers players who have made social media statements thus far.
Rashan Gary
Gary was on fire against the 49ers, along with many of his teammates on defense. The linebacker recorded an impressive two sacks, three quarterback hits, and three tackles for losses. No one in their right mind would blame #52 for not getting the job done on Saturday. But that doesn’t mean Gary is taking the Packers’ loss lightly. He posted the following messages on his Twitter and Instagram accounts:
Aaron Jones
Jones ended the game against San Francisco with 170 total yards – 41 rushing, 129 receiving. After his sidekick A.J. Dillon left with a fractured rib, it was up to #33 to carry the weight at running back for the Packers. As evidenced by his now-deleted Instagram story, Jones didn’t take kindly to fans putting the blame on him for the loss.
Za’Darius Smith
½ of the fan-favorite Smith Brothers, Za’Darius missed nearly the entire season recovering from a back injury. Packers fans were delighted when he finally returned against the 49ers, and even more so when he sacked Jimmy Garoppolo. The day after Green Bay’s shocking loss, Smith posted a photo of himself crying paired with an ominous caption. Most agree it probably isn’t a good sign that we’ll see #55 back in the green-and-gold next year.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling
MVS was inactive against San Francisco, but he’s no stranger to the vitriol that professional sports figures are often subjected to. After fumbling in overtime during a loss against the Indianapolis Colts in November 2020, he famously received death threats. MVS wasn’t afraid to call out hateful or fair-weather Packers fans then, nor is he now.
Adrian Amos
Amos has come up clutch countless times for the Packers since joining the team in 2019. Last night, #31 continued that trend by grabbing a huge red zone interception. Like many of his teammates, the corner took to social media following the loss against the 49ers. On Instagram, he posted a straight-faced photo of himself at a press conference with the cryptic caption “ … ” He also wrote a sweet fatherly message on Twitter putting everything into perspective.
Rasul Douglas
If anyone made a name for himself this season, it was Rasul Douglas. He’d been on five teams in four years before joining the Packers following injuries to their secondary. In a matter of weeks, #29 went from being a nobody to a fan favorite and defensive hero in Green Bay. A few hours after the final seconds ticked off the clock against San Fran, Douglas posted, “Wish the results were different” to his Twitter account. The next day, he quote-tweeted a message he posted on January 2nd (see below) and simply added a green heart emoji.
Kurt Benkert
Benkert was signed this summer amidst the Aaron Rodgers contract saga, along with a number of other just-in-case quarterbacks. Fans rejoiced when #6 was kept on by Green Bay through the season as their third-string QB. Benkert’s kind personality, activeness on social media, willingness to personally engage with supporters, and his inspirational outlook on life and football quickly made him a beloved member of the team. His Twitter message following the tough loss to the 49ers couldn’t be more on brand. It perfectly sums up who Kurt Benkert is.
Chandon Sullivan
#39 took a more upbeat approach to his message on social media after losing to the Niners. Sullivan reflected on his season with the Packers and is looking ahead with optimism.
Kylin Hill
23-year-old Kylin Hill suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 8 against the Arizona Cardinals. Despite playing no part in the Packers’ shocking loss versus San Francisco, the rookie running back has officially gotten his first taste of playoff heartbreak. Based on this tweet, it seems he doesn’t like it and doesn’t want to feel it again. Good motivation to use next year.
Kenny Clark
Clark had another fantastic season at defensive tackle for the Green-and-Gold and played his heart out against the 49ers. Unlike a lot of Packers players – including many discussed in this article – #97 is a lock to stay in Green Bay. He signed a four-year contract in 2020, ensuring he’ll be here for the foreseeable future. As a way of reflecting on the season’s end, Clark took to Instagram to share some favorite photos. Click on the arrow on the right side of the photo below to scroll through the pictures he included.
Looking Forward
None of these posts give us any groundbreaking information, but it’s clear that Green Bay’s players are just as gutted as fans about falling short of the ultimate goal this season. With the future of the Packers’ organization and so many of its athletes completely up in the air, this is sure to be a very difficult, chaotic, and painful offseason.
Social media posts from more Packers players are sure to come rolling in throughout the coming days, so stay tuned to Wisconsin Sports Heroics for a part two!
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