It’s just a matter of time before he says to reporters, possibly with a wry smile, “What’s the big deal?”
The big deal is this. After months of carefully and strategically manipulating the news (while hardly saying a word), quarterback Aaron Rodgers has reported to the Packers for training camp. That’s significant because, once a player shows up, it becomes much harder to walk away. (Although if anyone could find a way to do it, it’s Rodgers.)
Presumably, Rodgers is all in. We’ll see if that’s the case, when he inevitable speaks to reporters. Every word, every facial expression, every adjustment in demeanor will be scrutinized.
How can they not be? I’ll break it down in further detail in a subsequent post, but it’s hard to characterize this as much of a victory for Rodgers. He caved. He buckled. He cried uncle. And unlike Russell Wilson, who is wired to set aside his concerns and start rattling off “Go ‘Hawks!” like always, Rodgers can’t turn it off. Which means that it’ll be important to turn on every occasion when Rodgers speaks in 2021.