Despite the controversy that Aaron Rodgers recently brought to the Packers, fans, shareholders and team managers believe that he has the ability to lead the Packers to a future Super Bowl and keeping him on the team will be a casino jackpot opportunity for the team to achieve that prize.

Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers will be 40 next year so his football career is winding down – at least as a player. But the Packers quarterback is a valuable member of the team so despite his assertion that he had taken a COVID-19 vaccine when, in fact, he hadn’t, there isn’t a lot of discussion about whether to welcome him back when the Packers return to training later this summer.

Rodgers has been the Packers’ starting quarterback since 2008. IN 2010 he led the team to the Super Bowl XLV victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers and was named Super Bowl Most Valuable Player. In 2011 the Associated Press declared him to be “Athlete of the Year” and they voted him league MVP for 2011, 2014, 2020 and 2021 season, making him only the 5th player to win MVP for the NFL in consecutive seasons (the other players to achieve that honor were Jim Brown, Joe Montana, Brett Favre and Peyton Manning).

Over the years Rodgers has racked up an impressive list of achievements. He has the highest passer rating of over 100 which has placed him as second on the NFL’s all-time regular season career passer rating list. He led the NFL six times in touchdown-to-interception ratio, four times in touchdown passing percentage, six times in lowest passing interception percentage, three times in total touchdowns, once in yards per attempt, twice in touchdown passes and once in completion percentage.

Rodgers made NFL history with the best touchdown-to-interception ratio at 4.83 and has the highest single-season passer rating record. He won the Best NFL player ESPY Award four times.  Many sportscasters and other analysts consider Rodgers to be one of the most talented quarterbacks of all time.

Controversy

Last November Aaron Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19. He had previously told reporters that he was “immunized,” saying “There’s guys on the team who haven’t been vaccinated. I think it’s a personal decision. I’m not going to judge those guys. There are guys who’ve been vaccinated that have contracted COVID. It’s an interesting issue that I think we’re going to see played out the entire season.”

After Rodgers tested positive, he admitted that he is unvaccinated. He said that he was taking ivermectin as a treatment. He was required to quarantine for 10 days. Both he and the Packers were fined by the NFL  for violating COVID-regulations including a requirement to mask when speaking to reporters.

Reaction

Many people were outraged by the lie in which Rodgers game the mistaken impression that he was vaccinated. Team officials, however, were bolstered by fans and shareholders who largely support Rodgers and don’t feel that he did anything too terrible.  Also, at the end of the day, they want another Super Bowl win.

One fan, Curt Cozad, explained that the signal caller’s chemistry with the coaching staff and the roster mean that Rodgers is the best path that the Packers have to achieve another Super Bowl. “I think it’s like a good marriage. You gotta compromise,” Cozad said. His view was reinforced by William Campbell of Milwaukee, a stockholder who believes that it’s a smart move all around to keep the NFL’s reigning MVP. Contract terms, however, will determine whether it’s the right move long-term.  “That’ll kind of be the determining factor,” Campbell said.

Rodgers is, after all, a legend and older fans are hopeful that having Rodgers stay on for another year or two will be the way to bring in younger fans.

Return

Now it’s official – Aaron Rodgers will be returning to the Green Bay Packers where he will wind up his career in the same place that he started. “Hey everyone, just wanted to clear some things up; YES I will be playing with the @packers next year, however, reports about me signing a contract are inaccurate, as are the supposed terms of the contract I “signed”” tweeted Rodgers in early March. “I’m very excited to be back #year18. The reaction was instantaneous and positive – following the tweet the Packers’ Super Bowl odds improved from 15-1 to 12-1 at Caesars Sportsbook.

Coach Matt LaFleur, team president Mark Murphy, director of football operations Russ Ball and general manager Brian Gutekunst are all supportive of the decision to bring Rodgers back as are most Packers’ fans who have dreams of Super Bowls dancing in their heads. .