Matt LaFleur’s Green Bay Packers shook the whole draft night in 2020. Out of nowhere, they traded up with Miami – sent away picks 30 and 136 just to slide into that 26th spot. Then boom, they took Jordan Love, the QB from Utah State. For context, he was the first one taken that year from a Group of Five school. Hearing this draft announcement, the room went silent. Analysts and fans were caught off guard. No one expected it, not even Aaron Rodgers.
When Green Bay drafted Jordan Love, they clearly saw something big. That’s the reason why Head Coach LaFluer said in a new Dan Patrick’s Show, “I think the controversy of that whole deal was that we traded up to go get Jordan. If we would have stayed there, picked him, I think it would have been less. Obviously, it still would have been a big story, but I think the fact that we went up to go get him….But I do think, obviously, it was the right decision.”
Indeed, it was the right decision for Matt LaFleur and the team. Today, Love has become the face of the franchise after Aaron Rodgers’ exit. Now, this obviously compelled the host to ask how the four-time MVP felt about the draft of Love to the Packers. To which, the HC smiled, and added, “I think he was shocked.”
During the Wednesday episode, Patrick played out the moment, pretending to be the veteran QB. He pretended to ask on behalf of Aaron Rodgers, saying, “I’ll play Aaron and you call me, okay? Oh hey, hey coach, what, what happened?” To which, LaFleur smirked and added, “I don’t think that was the words that were used.”
The coach dropped the line that Rodgers even cussed during the call. So, when Patrick laughed and asked, “So what the bleep just happened?” LaFleur nods saying, “I will say, I mean whether that was why or what not but he did go out and had two pretty damn good years back-to-back.” In addition, the athlete had the highest passer rating (121.5 in 2020 and 111.9 in 2021), with 85 TDs to 9 INTs, and surprisingly, won 81% of his games. That’s the reason why he was recognized with the NFL MVP award for these two years. So, maybe that fire lit something in Rodgers.
Despite that ego and friction, Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love often shared a close relationship. They stayed together, helping each other for three seasons, before A-Rod’s exit. Despite that, Love still remembers him, as during an April interview, he said, “I would love to get the opportunity to play against A-Rod. Having a guy that mentored me in the league was someone I gotta be a backup behind, to be able to get the opportunity to play against him, and be on the other side of him, it would be special, it would be cool.” He wished that Rodgers get his new home soon, as the 41-year-old’s QB’s future is hanging on a thin thread.
Aaron Rodgers is betrayed once again?
Although Packers fans and even Matt LaFleur might not call it betrayal, drafting Jordan Love was a real shock to Aaron Rodgers. Still, when the New York Jets came knocking, showing him the respect he felt he’d lost, Rodgers jumped at the chance and signed on. But after a disappointing 2024 season, things took a turn.
Aaron Rodgers was cut from the Jets. And the way it happened? It was indeed brutal! Aaron Glenn and GM Darren Mougey didn’t even bother with a proper meeting. They called him on his own dime – just to say they were heading in a different direction at quarterback. To Rodgers, that felt like a slap in the face.
Even his former teammate James Jones called it out. He didn’t sugarcoat a thing by saying, “I don’t care about him spending his money. My dawg got a lot of money. He could buy a Southwest ticket, (or) private jet, whatever… But to get there for the meeting and you to disrespect this man like that is crazy to me.”
Well, Rodgers didn’t mind if they wanted to move on. But making him fly all that way, just to get dismissed? That didn’t sit right. As he put it, “You could have told me this on the phone if we weren’t even going to have a conversation.” And now? He hasn’t said what’s next – whether he’s done with football or still got another run left in him!
The post Matt LaFleur Confirms Furious Aaron Rodgers’ Outburst to Packers Drafting Jordan Love appeared first on EssentiallySports.
