Dear Greg Jennings, you were one of my favorite members of the Green Bay Packers in the late-Favre, early Aaron Rodgers eras. A member of a Packers Super Bowl and an elite wide receiver for years, I was thrilled consistently with your talent and professionalism on the field. I even remember thinking:
Greg is really personable and energetic. He might have a future in broadcasting when this is all done. He even has a fun sense of humor — look and him and the other wide receivers giving their QB some grief about his persnickety personality on NBC.
And then, apparently very disappointed and feeling disrespected by the Packers or Rodgers (or both), you took a contract with the Minnesota Vikings. On the way out, you didn’t have nearly anything professional or cordial to say. At the time, I was disappointed as a fan and miffed about the apparent discord that was abound.
Then after a decent first year with the Vikings, and a slow fade out of the NFL (to this fan’s perspective) you would periodically pop up in my fandom to throw a negative comment towards Rodgers specifically. I again remember thinking:
Hey, I get it Greg. I don’t know what happened, and maybe you were really disrespected. Perhaps you have serious justification and if I knew all the details as a neutral third-party, I’d be on your side. But now, at this point, it’s getting a little old. You broke up, both moved on, and it’s starting to take on a tone of jealousy.
Eventually you did go into broadcasting. I’d see you on Fox’s NFC North noon calls, back in the division where you spent your career. I was really happy to see you succeeding post-NFL career, and all those comments started to fade.
He’s in a new phase of his career. He probably wants to move on the same as everyone else does now.
Then came news you would be inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame. Thoughts immediately sprung up again about all the little nits-and-picks over the years. Whether directed to Rodgers specifically, he was a Packer at the time and always has been. I felt incredibly happy for you, you deserve to be a Hall of Fame Packer with your contributions on the field. Whenever I see you on the TV, I immediately want to like your commentary and broadcast.
And here comes the but… you have to drop this.
No more comments, no more Twitter snipes, but also — no apology needed. We’re all adults, let’s just take a note from everyone who’s been in a successful long-term relationship and let it go.
Everyone knows someone (or has been that someone) who had a bad relationship end because of disrespect or disappointment. Maybe you wanted things to be chummy and they weren’t. Maybe that other person didn’t match your level of enthusiasm in them. Maybe they violated the terms of the relationship contract and said awful things or turned their time and attention to someone else.
Don’t be that guy. It’s been years now. You’re both with other people, in new lives. At some point, no matter what the other person did to you, it’s time to move on. Rodgers might not even play another snap.
As we’ve all had (or had to be) the good friend that tell you it’s time to move on and stop obsessing about that person that broke your heart, hurt your job chances, or damaged your reputation a decade ago. If you’re trying to get the word out and cause reputation damage to Rodgers — well, you were the canary, the word is out. Please stop tweeting about it.
Do what the rest of us do, embrace the schadenfreude. Silently fist pump whenever Rodgers throws a pick or the Packers have a heartbreaking end to their playoffs — God knows there are opportunities — and please come back to the Pack, you’ve carried this on your back for long enough.
