In 2016, the Green Bay Packers started the season with a 4-6 record. Despite the slow start, quarterback Aaron Rodgers maintained a positive outlook. This same year, he predicted the Packers would run the table after losing to the Washington Redskins by a score of 42-24 in Week 11. Many thought saying, “I feel like we can run the table. I really do,” after the team’s poor performance up until this point was foolish. However, Rodgers chose to believe in and stand behind his team, and they proved him right.

Among the team’s doubters were former teammates who spewed negative comments about Rodgers. From Rodgers’ leadership style to his relationship with his family, a select few felt compelled to share their opinions. This same song is playing again. Anytime the Packers have on-field struggles, the media search for off-field problems. Jordy Nelson defends his long-time friend and explains why recent criticism of Green Bay Packers quarterback is unfounded.

Addressing the Recent Criticism of Aaron Rodgers

In January, Rob Reischel, Packers Forbes Contributor, wrote a piece highlighting doubts of former Packers as to how coachable Rodgers is. Reischel quotes Jermichael Finley, Greg Jennings, Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, and Jeff Janis.

Finley explained how Rodgers would change plays on the fly and go against previous head coach Mike McCarthy‘s playcalling. He says he fears Matt LaFleur, new Packers head coach, will have similar problems, especially since he is only four years Rodgers’ senior. Finley says, “At this moment, you just gave this guy $200 million. It’s going to be very hard to coach a guy same age, his pay scale is (raising his arm) up here and it’s going to be hard to tell Aaron what to do.”

Similarly, Jennings also has reservations about how Rodgers and LaFleur will mesh. Like Finley, he explains how he saw McCarthy failing to help Rodgers be his best and how his time in Green Bay ran out. “You’re going to be coming in, starting from scratch with a guy (Rodgers) who has one of the highest IQs in football, who believes he knows just about everything, if not all of everything,” says Jennings.

Gbaja-Biamila sees the quarterback as arrogant more than anything else. He says, “When Aaron became ‘The Man,’ he was ‘The Man,’ especially in his own eyes. Let’s just put it that way.”

Janis complains of Rodgers being too hard on his teammates. He basically says that when Rodgers comes down on guys for being inconsistent instead of encouraging them, they are more likely to remain inconsistent. He says he feels “positive reinforcement works a lot better than negative.”

All of these former Packers are fixated on thinking that Rodgers is going to do things his way or no way at all as if he refuses to accept coaching of any kind. The 2019 NFL season hasn’t even begun, yet they are already calling it another year of struggles headed for failure.

Why the Recent Criticism Is Unfounded

Criticisms like these only seem to happen when the Packers are struggling. The 2018 season certainly didn’t live up to anyone’s hopes, but that doesn’t mean there are huge problems to uncover. If this team was living up to its potential and making deep playoff runs, stories about such critiques and judgments would not be written.

Jordy Nelson came to the defense of his friend, explaining that these remarks do not accurately reflect Rodgers.

Nelson told Jason Wilde of the Wisconsin State Journal– “I don’t want to have to be on the phone and defend Aaron. He’s a great leader, we all believe that and believed that and still do. He’s hard on people, he demands a lot, but he demands a lot from himself. And I think any great quarterback out there does the same thing.” Nelson even goes as far as to say that Rodgers is not only incredibly talented, but he’s a great guy who does everything right. Since that isn’t an exciting story, the media continue to go back to the same former players who will keep sharing their sour grapes.

The truth is that Rodgers pushes teammates hard and expects 100 percent because that’s what he expects from himself. He plays with a championship mentality. He isn’t looking to puff out his chest and get all of the credit. The guy simply wants to win.

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