Rodgers Enters Unsure Offseason After Limited Postseason | Sports Information

By STEVE MEGARGEE, AP Sporting activities Author

Green BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers heads into another offseason of uncertainty after a person more discouraging finish to a amazing calendar year.

Rodgers drove the Packers to a landing on the game’s opening possession, then could not get them back again in the stop zone the rest of Saturday evening. Their season finished with a amazing 13-10 NFC divisional playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Robbie Gould’s 45-yard industry aim as time expired won the match for the 49ers, who scored 10 unanswered factors in the closing five minutes.

“A minimal numb, for positive,” Rodgers reported. “I didn’t consider it was going to finish like this.”

But was this just the finish of Rodgers’ season? Or is it the close of his impressive tenure in Inexperienced Bay?

The shocking end capped a turbulent year in which Rodgers skipped the Packers’ required minicamp missed a recreation owing to a good COVID-19 examination immediately after producing deceptive remarks about his vaccination standing but still attained All-Professional honors and put himself in situation for a attainable fourth MVP award.

Rodgers didn’t want to speculate on his potential. He stated very last thirty day period that he hadn’t dominated out any possibility, which include returning to Inexperienced Bay, requesting a trade or retiring.

“I really don’t consider it is good to anyone or myself to actually go down these paths at this place,” Rodgers said. “It’s disappointing, unfortunate and contemporary. I’ll have discussions in the future 7 days or so and start out to contemplate just after that.”

Rodgers did say Saturday night time that his partnership with normal manager Brian Gutekunst had enhanced this year.

Rodgers entered Saturday having thrown 20 touchdown passes with no interceptions in excess of his final seven common-period games. But he when all over again wasn’t magnificent in the postseason. He went 20 of 29 for 225 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. He was sacked five periods though operating behind an offensive line missing injured deal with David Bakhtiari.

When the Packers experienced the ball in a tie recreation in the closing minutes, they went 3-and-out and punted, which at some point led to the 49ers’ successful discipline aim.

“I think Aaron did every thing he could,” Packers mentor Matt LaFleur mentioned. “He was below a great deal of duress. I consider it really is extra to do with I did not put our fellas in placement to make plenty of plays. I get that incredibly personally.”

It was only fitting the sport came down to a kick because the Packers’ exclusive teams breakdowns enabled San Francisco to pull off this comeback. Inexperienced Bay’s kick groups ended up its major weakness all 12 months, and that was never far more obvious than Saturday night.

The 49ers tied the match with 4:41 remaining when Jordan Willis blocked Corey Bojorquez’s punt and Talanoa Hufanga returned it 6 yards into the stop zone.

There was an equally major exclusive teams error on the final play of the 1st 50 percent.

Following Rodgers threw a 75-lawn pass to Aaron Jones – the longest completion of his playoff profession – the Packers experienced the ball at the San Francisco 14 with a probability to build on their 7- direct. But soon after Nick Bosa sacked Rodgers and forced a fumble the Packers recovered, Jimmie Ward blocked Mason Crosby’s 39-lawn field objective attempt.

Green Bay wanted to capitalize on that long pass from Rodgers to Jones for the reason that the Packers didn’t generate plenty of big performs. Following A.J. Dillon scored from 6 yards to cap the game’s first possession, the Packers did relatively minor with the ball.

“Disappointed in the offense, 10 details is definitely not more than enough,” Rodgers reported. “The defense, they performed excellent. Special teams of course damage us, having points off the board and supplying them factors. But, offensively, scoring 10 points is in no way fantastic sufficient.”

The Packers have contended just about just about every year Rodgers has been nutritious, yet haven’t reached a Super Bowl given that their 2010 championship season. Now the query is irrespective of whether Rodgers will carry on chasing a second Super Bowl title in a Packers uniform.

Rodgers explained very last thirty day period he would try out to make a selection on his foreseeable future before long and was keeping all choices open up. All-Professional receiver Davante Adams also has an unsure foreseeable future as he enters free of charge agency.

Rodgers and Adams set out Instagram posts in the offseason with references to Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen of the Chicago Bulls all through their 1997-98 title operate that was chronicled in the ESPN documentary “Last Dance,” a winking recommendation that this also may possibly be their past calendar year jointly in Inexperienced Bay.

Considering that finding chosen 24th over-all in the 2005 draft, Rodgers has spent his complete vocation in Eco-friendly Bay.

“I’m very proud of what I’ve been able to achieve below,” Rodgers claimed. “Thankful — deeply grateful — for so numerous yrs listed here in the firm and all the remarkable teammates and coaches that I’ve experienced over the years. That’s aspect of the legacy, I believe, the friendships, and the memories on and off the discipline.

“But I do not know. I’m still super competitive, nevertheless know I can play at a superior degree, so it is going to be a hard conclusion, I have a ton of points to weigh in the coming weeks. But, guy, just so substantially gratitude for this city and this firm and such a long, long vocation below that I’m very pleased of and really grateful for all the men and women of all ages that perform in this article, the adult males I’ve gotten to cross paths with, coaches and players over the several years.”

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