Aaron Rodgers doesn’t do much to ingratiate himself to others, and that hardly seems by accident, or rather, undesired. At least from the outside, it doesn’t appear he cares much about how people perceive him. Then again, he authorized documentaries and biographies about himself aimed at (de)mystifying the (to him) misunderstood vagaries of a personality.
While he is indisputably one of the greatest players of his generation, he is also no longer that player. Few who lose their stature on top are willing to recognize it for a long time, though. I presume Rodgers still believes he is near the top of the league, and perhaps even wants to prove it.
But his actions don’t suggest that, and it leads people to question where his priorities are. Athletes are a breed, particularly among the elite, who tend to concern themselves with legacy. But is Aaron Rodgers someone who is looking to secure a legacy?
“You would think if cared about his legacy—it’s kind of gotten stained”, Chris Adamski said of Rodgers on the #1 Cochran Sports Showdown. “He seems a lot less popular amongst the fans that he was maybe four, five years ago. And the last three years he had, between being injured, between the Jets stinking, between having two bad statistical years, his last one with the Packers and the last one with the Jets. If that motivated him at all, you’d think he’d want to go out and have one good year with a roster you could talk yourself into at least being [playoff-worthy]”.
Rodgers took a meeting with the Steelers some time ago, and there remains a standing contract offer. For whatever reason, undisclosed, he has yet to sign that deal. While the broad consensus is that he will sign, perhaps by minicamp, nothing is official until he does. Recently, he seemed to drop a hint that he plans to sign with the Steelers, but that’s it.
During his lengthy meeting with the Steelers, Aaron Rodgers seemed to have a rapport with the organization. Even with OC Arthur Smith. Yet there are suggestions that he would rather run his own offense, and that it might cause friction. Of course, everything at this point is nothing more than a report, hardly fact.
But whether he wants to run his own plays or Smith’s, Aaron Rodgers’ absence doesn’t help him. Not on the field, nor off of it, where it appears that he is not motivated to give his all to this season. And if he does play and has a poor season, his lack of commitment during the offseason will only look all the worse.
Another all-time great, Tom Brady, had a whimper of a denouement to his career. Amid personal crisis, going through the breakup of his marriage, he did not look like his usual self. Fortunately, he has seven Super Bowl rings with which to console himself. Aaron Rodgers has one, and he isn’t even showing up to sign a contract, let alone to practice.
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