Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is considered by many to be the best player in the NFL and after an interesting offseason, the star is ready to get back on the field as the team tries to win another Super Bowl.
Rodgers sat down with Peter King on The MMQB for his Behind the Mask feature and spoke about a number of topics, including the Ryan Braun situation as well as Brett Favre, leadership, Greg Jennings and more. Rodgers put up beast numbers last season, but the offensive line was a mess and with no running game to speak of, defenses could cheat on him a bit. This season it is expected to be more consistent and with Eddie Lacy and Jonathan Franklin in the fold, it should be much more productive.
Rodgers spoke about the repaired relationship with Favre as well as about Jennings and his comments that he has made about the quarterback this offseason. Rodgers also spoke about the tough task of Braun's suspension, as he defended the Brewers star and is a friend and business partner of his. Rodgers just signed a $130 million contract and is considered the best young quarterback in the game.
Check here for the interview and here are some highlights:
On Braun:
"The thing with Ryan was very tough, because he and I were very close friends, and he let me stick my neck out for him and wasn't honest with me. That's not something you can let just wash over you-you have to sit with that and deal with that, and it's frustrating. I'm dealing with it."
On Jennings:
"People taking shots at me who aren't relevant to this team and to this locker room doesn't mean a whole lot to me. Those comments do wash over with me without a reaction, because they don't matter."
On Favre:
"I was very energized by seeing Brett at the NFL Awards at the Super Bowl, and being able to talk to him for the first time in forever. I think that was a good thing for him and me, for the future of the organization, and hopefully the fans as well. It was a time for healing. I definitely had trepidation going in. I just didn't know how he was going to be. But we talked on the phone the night before, and it was good to talk to him. I knew the second we hung up that it was going to be a good thing. He was joking around, I was joking around. We were remembering some funny old stories, and I just knew that we were both in the right spot mentally. I was backstage with him, Joe Montana and the Mannings-Peyton, Eli and Archie. And a bunch of other people walked in and out, but I got a really sweet pic from that night with Peyton, me and Brett. We've talked a few times since, and texted. We're good. I'm very happy about it."
The Packers are usually one of the highest scoring offensive teams due to the play of quarterback Aaron Rodgers and while the team ranked ninth in passing yards per game with over 250, but one place they need to improve is in the running game. The rushing attack ranked 20th in yards per game last season and with the offensive line shifting and the addition of rookie back Eddie Lacy from Alabama, the Packers offense should be much more balanced for the first time in a few years. The team will have a tough schedule in 2013 after getting their bye in Week 4 and they will start the year on the road against the team that beat them in the playoffs with the 49ers and their first three games will be against playoff team as they play the Redskins and the Bengals the next two weeks after the opener.
