Today’s article is going to be an interactive one.
Below is the entire text of an article Andy Baggot published at the Wisconsin State Journal a few days ago. In short, the article states that the way the Packers have handled Aaron Rodgers’ injury mirrors the way the organization handled Brett Favre’s departure in 2008:
First impressions, second thoughts and the third degree:
Once again, a revered Green Bay quarterback finds himself in the middle of a PR moment gone wrong.
Once again, there are cryptic quotes and curious behavior emanating from both sides.
Once again, there is a segment of Packers Nation questioning the character of the player.
Once again, there are reports of tension involving those in the front office and the face of the franchise.
On several levels, it seems what happened in 2008 to Brett Favre is being replicated right now with Aaron Rodgers.
In the case of Favre’s retirement and subsequent change of heart, Favre, general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy acknowledge making mistakes that allowed public opinion to become toxic. Those errors created a tremendous rift of trust between fans, club officials and Favre that’s still being repaired.
In the case of Rodgers’ broken left collarbone and subsequent seven-game injury sabbatical — coming while Green Bay is in the midst of a volatile push for the playoffs — the blame is more concentrated.
The Packers have done the right thing by keeping Rodgers out of harm’s way, but they failed him by never putting the injury in its proper public context. Sadly, the lack of detail has given way to fans and media members ignorantly, but predictably, questioning Rodgers’ toughness.
The Cliff’s Notes version of this saga is Rodgers says he wants to play, but he’s not yet been medically cleared to do so.
The most bothersome thing in all this is not the slings and arrows being flung at Rodgers — he’s a big boy; he’ll be OK — but the fact the Packers apparently didn’t learn a whole lot from the Favre fiasco.
Interesting comparison to say the least.
Everyone has an opinion on both subjects brought up in this story-the handling of Rodgers’ injury, and the departure of Favre from the Packers. And we want to hear them.
Is the author correct in his theory that the situations are eerily similar? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
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John Rehor is a writer at PackersTalk.com.
He can also be heard as one of the Co-Hosts of Cheesehead Radio. ---------------------
4 responses to “Has the Packers Handling of Aaron Rodgers’ Injury Mirror Brett Favre’s Departure?”
No one should be questioning Aaron Rodgers’ toughness and certainly not his character! That is just mindbogglingly unfair and stupid! Yes, the Favre departure could have been handled better. We can thank Aaron Rodgers for opening discussions about reconciliations between the Packers and Favre. But the decision to start Rodgers was the right one, and I have more faith in the medical staff’s expertise and concern for the welfare of the players than the opinions of a few fans.
The part I find funny is people forget that when Favre tried to come back the medical staff failed him on his physical. But yet when he was traded he passed the physical. So I question how much say so Ted Thompson has with the medical staff. Then you hear Romo is out with a back problem but yet Jerry Jones says he will play really gets me to question the medical staffs.
I was actually wondering if Rodgers has some incentives in his contract that won’t be reached this year because of being out so long. I don’t know for sure but could that be behind Ted’s very cautious approach?
All I can say is something fishy is going on and yes Rodgers toughness will be in question unfairly. To compare his toughness to Favre is outright stupid. Favre ran the Packers in his day and yes he played with alot of injuries but he didn’t have a the rules and lawsuits the NFL has now.
Players suing the nfl is stupid to me. You get paid millions of dollars to play a violent game, thus you know what chances you are taking to play a game millions of people would love to do for alot cheaper. But I won’t get into that.
No one should be questioning Aaron Rodgers’ toughness and certainly not his character! That is just mindbogglingly unfair and stupid! Yes, the Favre departure could have been handled better. We can thank Aaron Rodgers for opening discussions about reconciliations between the Packers and Favre. But the decision to start Rodgers was the right one, and I have more faith in the medical staff’s expertise and concern for the welfare of the players than the opinions of a few fans.
These types of stories are just the sad by-products of the new NFL machine.
We now have to endure even greedier ownerships and plenty of new rules and restrictions to slowly erode what was once a proud and noble profession for the player and also great entertainment for fanbases. There is no more game… just business.
Shame on the league politians,owners & players…the true fan loses!