Aaron Rodgers was thinking about backup quarterback during offseason
Aaron Rodgers has not always had the best relationship with second-year quarterback Jordan Love, but he is looking to change that.
During a tumultuous offseason, the Packers star made sure to check in with his understudy.
“I reached out a number of times to check on him… Hopefully he appreciated that,” Rodgers told reporters. “I think that’s what I would want in that situation.
“That was important for me and that’s not gonna change.”
Rodgers himself has firsthand experience with being the backup to the face of a franchise. He was in a similar spot as Love in 2005 after being drafted while the club still had Brett Favre.
Years after Favre retired from the NFL, it was revealed that Rodgers’ relationship with the Pro Football Hall of Famer wasn’t strained as the two competed for the starting spot. Rodgers is now doing his best to maintain a good relationship with his potential replacement.
Along with reaching out to Love, Rodgers said he’s been helping the 22-year-old on the field by providing pointers.
The three-time MVP was seen talking to Love and third-string Kurt Benkert multiple times. Rodgers has also given Love pointers in drills since he’s arrived at training camp.
The two have even watched film together, and Rodgers has taken notice of how Love is progressing.
“We put on a clip from last year, again going through some install that we’re putting in the next couple of days,” Rodgers said, “and watching him from last year, this year you can just see that he’s been honing the craft and working on his tempo, and drops, and balance.”
The Packers selected Love with the No. 26 pick in the 2020 NFL draft after they traded up to secure him. The move angered Rodgers and led to acrimony with with general manager Brian Gutekunst.
The GM recently admitted he wished that he would have talked to his franchise quarterback before the selection.
“Quite frankly, if that was even a possibility, I would’ve loved to do that,” Gutekunst said. “We didn’t go into that draft thinking, ‘Hey, we’re gonna target this and do it.’ If that was the case, we probably would’ve done that. That wasn’t reality. Would that have changed anything? I don’t know if Aaron, with the issues he has, if that’s really part of it.
“But a player like Aaron, in a situation like that, you would’ve loved to give him a heads up. It’s just that the way this thing transpired, that wasn’t a possibility.”
However, the 37-year-old Rodgers won’t let Gutekunst’s lack of communication get in the way of his relationship with his backup.
This post first appeared on Nypost.com
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