When Aaron Rodgers' reportedly toxic relationship with Mike McCarthy was disclosed by former teammate - "Had a chip on his shoulder"
Aaron Rodgers spent 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, achieving some success. The four-time NFL MVP had Mike McCarthy as his head coach for 13 of those seasons. However, it was widely reported that the two didn't possess the greatest relationship in their time together.
Former running back Ryan Grant played six seasons with the team, seeing Rodgers and McCarthy up close. Grant spoke on how the quarterback interacted with McCarthy inside the locker room in a 2019 interview with Bleacher Report:
"Aaron's always had a chip on his shoulder with Mike. The guy who ended up becoming your coach passed on you when he had a chance. Aaron was upset that Mike passed on him -- that Mike actually verbally said that Alex Smith was a better quarterback."
That chip on Aaron Rodgers' shoulder likely came from the 2005 NFL Draft when the San Francisco 49ers passed on him with the top pick. McCarthy was the San Francisco 49ers' offensive coordinator at the time and Rodgers took the snub personally.
The quarterback spoke on the issue in a 2012 interview, making it clear how hurt he was by how that night turned out for him:
"It's embarrassing. You know the whole world is watching, your phone's buzzing every two minutes and you're hoping it's a team calling. But it's just your buddies, just making jokes, and it's hard to laugh in a situation where you know everybody's laughing at you."
The quarterback-head coach duo led the Green Bay Packers to nine playoff appearances, winning a Super Bowl in the 2010 season. Their time in Green Bay came to an end when the team fired McCarthy in Week 13 of the 2018 season. Rodgers played four full seasons with the Packers after McCarthy was fired.
Did Aaron Rodgers face Mike McCarthy after his firing from Green Bay?
Last season, the quarterback faced his former coach as the Packers took on the Dallas Cowboys in Week 10 at Lambeau Field. Both shared a hug at midfield ahead of that game:
Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy share a hug and a few words before today’s game https://t.co/qUIfn2e1Dn
Rodgers and the Packers defeated McCarthy and the Cowboys 31-28 in overtime. The 10-time Pro Bowler threw for 224 yards and three touchdowns in the win. We'll see if they cross paths once again this season:
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Bleacher Report, CBS Sports, and H/T Sportskeeda.