Packers believe NFL teams have broken league rules in speaking with Aaron Rodgers

The Green Bay Packers believe teams have broken NFL anti-tampering laws in contacting their disgruntled star quarterback. The Denver Broncos and the San Francisco 49ers are two teams that have been linked to the breach of the rules, however, there may be more teams involved.

What are the NFL anti-tampering rules?

Under NFL law, a player cannot be contacted by another team’s representatives unless that player’s current team has given permission for this to happen.

The Packers have publicly said they are not trading Aaron Rodgers, so it's clear that they have certainly not given any franchise permission to hold talks with their star quarterback.

What can the Packers do about teams breaking anti-tampering laws?

The NFL's anti-tampering laws are very hard to enforce. Which is why the Packers are yet to file a complaint with the league office.

The Packers learned this in 2008 when they filed a complaint against the Minnesota Vikings for tampering with then-starting quarterback Brett Favre. Their accusations came to nothing back then and this is probably why they haven’t filed a complaint about the Rodgers episode.

Why is Aaron Rodgers unhappy?

Aaron Rodgers doesn’t look too bothered about the recent dispute with the Packers 😂 pic.twitter.com/uHHm6ld7td
— PFF (@PFF) May 1, 2021

The three-time league MVP seems to have lost faith in the Packers’ front office. Most NFL insiders believe this all stems from the team drafting rookie quarterback Jordan Love instead of a receiver in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.

While Rodgers used this to propel himself to one of his greatest seasons ever in 2020, he was hurt and angry that Green Bay management did not give him a heads up on the pick.

This has created a lack of trust on Rodgers’s side and he has reportedly asked for a trade from the franchise. The relationship between Rodgers and Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst is strained and many believe the QB wants him fired.

Brian Gutekunst on the Yahoo! Sports report that Aaron Rodgers wants him out as Packers GM: "Aaron hasn't said anything like that to me and certainly hasn't said anything publicly. I think that's a little unfair to put that on... https://t.co/gXrARhzcrN pic.twitter.com/1cYuACShRd
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) May 1, 2021

What happens next?

Packers’ HC Matt LaFleur was emphatic Saturday in his desire for Aaron Rodgers to return to Green Bay. But the issue is whether Rodgers will return. "Yeah, I know, and I can't even take my brain to that spot right now," LaFleur said.https://t.co/LbLWXO0tzx
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 2, 2021

The Packers can file a complaint with the league and hope they can prove that teams have tampered with their quarterback. This seems unlikely and won’t help their current situation with Rodgers.

With training camp fast approaching, the Packers may decide to trade Rodgers to avoid a long-drawn-out contract dispute. Or they could continue to practice what they preach and refuse to trade their star player.

The next few weeks will be very interesting for Green Bay. Who will blink first - Aaron Rodgers or the Green Bay front office?