Trouble in Green Bay? Aaron Rodgers Tells Matt LaFleur He Can’t ‘Turn Off 11 Years’

Training camp hasn’t even started yet across the NFL landscape, yet small rumblings are traversing the football universe. Aaron Rodgers recently made some off-the-cuff remarks that some are viewing as passive-aggressive.

In an interview with NFL Media’s Michael Silver, the Packers quarterback hinted that he would like to have more freedom at the line of scrimmage. This coming just three days after Green Bay ended their mandatory minicamp with a playful paintball outing. (Side note: Are paintball companies getting a kickback from the NFL these days? It seems like every team is making it the standard way to close spring practices).

Anyway, Rodgers was quoted as saying “you want me to turn off 11 years” when describing the way new head coach Matt LaFleur is telling him how to run the offense. The future Hall of Famer went on to explain that the two are still in the honeymoon stage of their quarterback-coach relationship.

“It’s a conversation in progress,” Rodgers told NFL.com. “I don’t think you want to ask me to turn off 11 years (of recognizing defenses). We have a number of check with mes and line-of-scrimmage stuff. It’s just the other stuff that really not many people in this league can do.”

Then, Rodgers added: “That’s not a humble brag.”

In reality, it most definitely is a brag — and maybe a not-so-humble one as Mike Florio pointed out on ProFootballTalk, especially with Rodgers’ somewhat storied history of taking subtle shots at former coaches.

Rodgers’ comment would be an attention-grabber even without his history of passive-aggressive interactions with former coach Mike McCarthy. It also represents the first indication of something other than unconditional and unequivocal submission to the new offense that LeFleur has brought to town. And the decision to make the remark to a reporter could create the kind of friction that may eventually be reported and then loudly denied by Rodgers and the Packers.

The seven-time Pro Bowl quarterback certainly has earned the right to change plays at the line of scrimmage. No one would ever dispute that. However, it may be in his best interest to keep a low profile and let LaFleur earn the respect of the locker room before he starts running his mouth. LaFleur is installing a completely new offense in Green Bay and wants everyone on the same page, including Rodgers.

“There’s certainly a learning curve,” LaFleur said. “And at the same time, I feel like we’ve adapted, and changed some names of things (to words) that maybe he’s called it in the past. Like I always tell him, ‘Let’s make this our offense.'”

Rodgers has been quick to point the finger at the coaching staff and sometimes teammates when things aren’t running smoothly during his 11 years in Green Bay. He was overly critical of former head coach Mike McCarthy and eventually ran him out of town. In addition, assistant head coach Winston Moss was shown the door when he stood up for McCarthy.

The moral of the story, tread lightly when dealing with the Packers’ franchise quarterback.

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