Getty Defensive end Samson Ebukam #56 of the San Francisco 49ers sacks quarterback Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers during the first half of the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Lambeau Field on January 22, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers wants to be the highest-paid player in the history of the NFL. One of his former wide receivers has a serious problem with that.
Greg Jennings took to the airwaves on Friday, February 25 as part of the “First Things First” broadcast on Fox Sports 1. The retired receiver laced into Rodgers for being “selfish” and holding the organization hostage by demanding more money instead of playing out his existing contract. Jennings also accused his former quarterback of being more concerned with his own paycheck than with winning Super Bowls.
“Aaron Rodgers has been a very selfish guy. … I go back to personal experiences. His words to me were, ‘don’t be that guy.’ All of a sudden, it’s about the money.”
— @GregJennings on reports that Rodgers wants to be NFL’s highest-paid player:
“People change, but some things never do,” Jennings said. “Aaron Rodgers has been a very selfish guy. You can’t do that and want to win.”
Jennings continued, recounting a story from his time as a wide receiver with the Packers just after he had signed his first extension with the team.
I remember when I was up, B.J. Raji was up, Clay Matthews was getting ready to be up and Aaron was getting ready to be up. And before we even got to that point, Aaron Rodgers came to me when I signed my deal with the Green Bay Packers … because players had been going back to the organization, front office and trying to renegotiate and not being happy with the contract [they had] singed. And his words to me were, “Don’t be that guy. Don’t sign this contract and then want more money.” Now, all of the sudden, you forget those words.
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Rodgers Requests Largest Contract in NFL History: Report
Getty Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, of the Green Bay Packers, reacts after failing to get a first down during the 2nd quarter of the NFC Divisional Playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field on January 22, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
A report from ESPN’s Diana Russini Thursday that Rodgers’ was seeking the biggest contract in NFL history is what set Jennings off.
She reported this morning an update on a when Aaron Rodgers could make a decision on his playing future and @diannaESPN joined us to explain what she’s heard on the matter:
“From the conversations I’ve had with a lot of people in the league, he wants to be the highest-paid player in the NFL — by a wide margin,” Russini said while appearing on The Rich Eisen Show. “So, we’re talking about $50 million a year. And we know the cap situation the Green Bay Packers are in, we know [wide receiver] Davante Adams needs to get paid, so there’s a lot on the table.”
Jennings also referenced Adams’ pending free agency, as well as that of tight end Robert Tonyan and others when accusing Rodgers of hypocrisy. The quarterback said following the Packers’ gut-wrenching playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers in January that he did not want to be part of a rebuild.
In other words, if Rodgers is to return to Green Bay without a fuss, he wants his top targets back. But he also wants more money than any football player has ever gotten, which Jennings described as an inconsistency.
“You understand what this would mean and what this does to your personnel — you potentially would have to get rid of some guys,” Jennings said. “This is contradictory to what [Rodgers is] saying he wants to do.”
“How are you going to try to win?” Jennings continued. “I get it, guys gotta look out for themselves. But in looking out for yourselves, you cut off the legs of others.”
Packers Backup Kirk Benkert Defends Rodgers Following Jennings’ Criticisms
GettyBackup quarterback Kurt Benkert, of the Green Bay Packers, scrambles with the ball against the New York Jets in the first half of an NFL preseason game at Lambeau Field on August 21, 2021 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Jennings’ harsh criticisms were met with online blowback Friday, most notably from Packers backup quarterback Kurt Benkert.
Benkert took to Twitter where he called out the former Green Bay wide receiver for not being “that guy.”
“L take, Lots of salt. Get a new narrative to spread,” Benkert wrote. “12 is the most generous and thoughtful person I’ve met in the league. Not to mention the back-to-back best player. This sounds like it comes from a person that wanted to be that guy, but wasn’t.”
Russini reported further Thursday that Rodgers will decide within the next week whether he will return willingly to Green Bay or ask the Packers to pursue a trade. If Rodgers does announce he wants to come back, an understanding on a contract extension between the franchise and its four-time MVP quarterback will likely have already been reached.