There is no bigger story in the NFL than Aaron Rodgers wanting out of Green Bay as the rift between him and the franchise seems to grow every day.
Alex Smith thinks the issues that are going on would’ve never happened in the first place had the team simply communicated better with him ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Speaking Wednesday on FS1’s “The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” Smith called it “inexcusable” that the Packers allowed the situation with Rodgers to get this bad.
“It’s inexcusable. It’s absolutely (inexcusable), I think, how they ever got to this point,” Smith said. “I mean, Aaron’s been there 16 years. What he’s given to that organization, and been there. And what happened last year in the draft — I haven’t talked to Aaron about this so I don’t want to put words in his mouth — but clearly you watch the (interview with former ESPN anchor Kenny Mayne) and to hear him talk about it, it’s about the people.”
“And I don’t think it was the fact that they drafted Jordan Love in the first round,” Smith added. “How do you have a guy like Aaron that you don’t go make sure beforehand you aren’t going out of your way to make sure that he knows that he’s loved, that they want him there, that, ‘We may be taking a quarterback in the first round, we want to make sure you’re OK with it. This is maybe what we’re doing, we’re thinking.’?”
Instead of getting him a first-round receiver last offseason, Green Bay instead traded up to get his heir apparent in Love. That made him the Packers’ first offensive skill position player selected in the first round since Rodgers in 2005.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NFL stories via Google! Follow Us
Cowherd then asked Smith whether the Chiefs told him as much when they drafted Patrick Mahomes 10th overall in 2017.
“Yes, without a doubt. A hundred percent,” Smith said. “That’s something that was talked about throughout the draft process, not just by Coach (Andy Reid). Everybody in the personnel department. I’m talking multiple times: ‘Hey, this really might be something we’re doing, are you OK with it? This is going to be the situation.’
“There were no surprises. It was absolutely laid out for me. And I think that all helps, when that stuff’s communicated. It does make a difference how you treat people.”
