Shannon Sharpe reckons Aaron Rodgers has let down those who look up to him
Aaron Rodgers has taken it upon himself not to mince words publicly about how he feels about his receivers. According to ESPN, the quarterback called out his receivers for dropping balls and running incorrect routes in an interview with the media. In response, one former NFL player explained how the quarterback was letting down his receivers.
Speaking on Undisputed, NFL analyst Shannon Sharpe compared his early experiences in the NFL with that of Rodgers and his receivers. Sharpe said he preferred how John Elway taught and encouraged him over how Aaron Rodgers took on his receivers this week.
Sharpe said:
"And I hate going back to this, but I think the thing that that really helped me the most is that when I made mistakes early, John [Elway] never said anything to me on the field. He would always pull me aside on Monday... He would always say, 'I need you to be better in this situation. You are short of this. I need you to make that play...'"
The Packers called a meeting in which Aaron Rodgers and his receivers tried to clear the air. But it wasn’t Aaron’s idea. Hmmm. Now on @undisputed
He went on, claiming the receivers knew they made mistakes and didn't need Rodgers airing their dirty laundry publicly:
"They know they dropped the ball. They know they're short on their route or they ran the wrong route. It's tough being a young receiver, coming in with an all-time great quarterback because the last thing you want to do is let him down... but the look that he could give you... It was almost like a father chastising a child. You didn't want to let him down."
#Packers WR Randall Cobb didn’t hold back yesterday when asked if he thought the young wide receivers appreciate the ‘tough love’ from QB Aaron Rodgers - rather than silence.
Pretty certain after hearing this, the standard is set in the wide receiver room.
Full quote from Cobb: https://t.co/zDWtasuTch
Aaron Rodgers' new roster
Last year, Aaron Rodgers had Davante Adams out wide, one of the best wide receivers in the game in the eyes of most. Adams earned at least 1,300 yards in three of the last four seasons. The team lost him as well as Marquez Valdes-Scantling during the 2022 offseason.
In their stead are Allen Lazard, Sammy Watkins, and Christian Watson. Lazard was behind Adams and Valdes-Scantling last season. Watkins' last 1000-yard season came in 2015. Watson is from an FCS school. The wide receiving room is seeing a massive switch, which most would argue is a downgrade for the quarterback.
At the very least, it is an overhaul with several new faces trying to get on the same page. With only a few weeks left until Week 1, many see the team under a lot of stress to get on the same page quickly. Will the Packers resemble their form of 2021 when the league kicks off in 2022?
If any of the above quotes are used, please credit Undisputed and H/T Sportskeeda.