Getty Quarterback Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates a touchdown with Davante Adams #17 against the Tennessee Titans during the third quarter at Lambeau Field on December 27, 2020 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
We should all be so lucky as to have a friendship like Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers have forged over their years together with the Green Bay Packers.
During his post-practice interview on Tuesday, Adams got a little passionate while talking about his friend and star quarterback and let slip an on-camera F-bomb that illustrated perfectly where he stands on Rodgers’ ongoing standoff with the Packers.
“People that know him well know he loves it when you have his back. That’s how I am naturally, so it’s not forced, but I’ve got his back through everything so he knows at the end of the day, if there’s ever a wonder (if) he’s lost a teammate because of all that’s come out, he knows where I stand. I’ll stand on the f***ing … excuse me, I’ll stand on the mountain and scream on the mountain top that I got his back,” Adams said, smirking when he slipped up.
“It’s not like I’m saying forget the front office, like I don’t respect what they got going on,” Adams added. “I’m just saying I’ll back my guy up. He hasn’t beat any women, he didn’t do anything crazy. He just feels a certain type of way right now and sometimes that’s when people need their teammates and people around them most. Even if I did feel like someone didn’t like that I did that, it wouldn’t change anything about me because I am who I am and I stand for what I stand for.”
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Adams Clearly Defines Stance on Rodgers & Packers
Adams was on fire with his answers to Tuesday’s reporter questions. While it might have been easier for him to shut down to basic, uniform answers as head coach Matt LaFleur has started doing when asked about Rodgers, the All-Pro wide receiver stuck a nice balance between being a good friend and a distinguished professional.
“I’m always going to be supportive of everybody on my team,” Adams said. “We’re praying that Aaron Rodgers comes back. (That) has nothing to do with Jordan Love, Blake Bortles. I love those guys just like any other of my teammates. Just going to come down to how it works out.”
Adams did not, however, have any new insights to share on Rodgers’ mindset or intentions. He actually told reporters he knows less about what is going on than most people assume. Rodgers has not participated in a single day of the Packers’ offseason program thus far, including virtual and classroom work that began in mid-April. He has already forfeited his $500,000 workout bonus for his absences and will incur another $93,065 in fines if he skips their entire minicamp this week.
Beyond that, Adams is simply keeping a leveled approach to the rest of the offseason as Rodgers’ situation continues to develop between now and the start of training camp later this summer.
“Honestly, I have no expectations, man,” Adams said. “I’m just being supportive of my guy and letting it all unfold like it does. Obviously, I’m praying that he comes back. We all want him back. I think everybody in this building has that same mindset, but I can only control what I can and I can’t control any of what’s going on with that situation, so I’m just sitting here, doing what I got to do, keeping getting better and keep watching all the progression of everybody else that’s here right now. And then, when and if he’s back, we’ll obviously welcome him with open arms.”
Adams Shoots Down Rumors about WRs Skipping OTAs
Adams and the rest of the Packers’ wide receiver corps were present for the start of three-day mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, but there was still some lingering concern about why all five of the team’s top wide receivers had stayed away from the voluntary portion of OTAs over the past few weeks. Some even wondered whether the receivers had made a coordinated effort to skip the workouts as a show of solidarity for Rodgers.
While Adams didn’t exactly shoot down the possibility that some receivers may have skipped due to their feelings about Rodgers’ situation, he was clear that his decision was not about that and that he did not influence his fellow pass-catching teammates about how they should handle their attendance for voluntary workouts.
“In no way did I sway or tell anybody to do anything,” Adams said when asked about it directly. “They all made their own decision based on what was going on. At no time did Davante Adams tell (any) of those guys not to show up.”
#Packers All-Pro WR Davante Adams is present at minicamp after missing OTAs. Looks like Marcedes Lewis just gave him some blocking pointers. Always working to get better.