Murphy: No Update on Rodgers

The absence of Aaron Rodgers not only could impact the Green Bay Packers on the field but financially, as well.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Will Aaron Rodgers report to training camp with the rest of his Green Bay Packers teammates on July 27?

“I appreciate the question,” team President Mark Murphy said on Friday during a Zoom about the team’s unprecedented financial fiscal-year. “This is really limited to questions regarding financial statements. I would just say there’s nothing new to update on the issue that you raised.”

While Rodgers didn’t take the COVID opt-out, he said only, “We’ll see,” when pressed at The Match about his plans for the 2021 NFL season.

Murphy took over as the team’s president and CEO late in the 2007 season, meaning he was with the Packers in 2008, when Rodgers’ legendary predecessor, Brett Favre, announced his retirement, changed his mind and ultimately was traded to the New York Jets. That messy divorce split the fan base.

A similar situation could play out if Rodgers doesn’t show up at training camp and makes clear he doesn’t want to return to the team he’s led for the past 13 seasons.

That wouldn’t only have an impact on the playing field, with Jordan Love presumably replacing the reigning MVP, but it could have an impact on the team’s finances if fewer jerseys are purchased at the Packers Pro Shop and the team endures a losing season.

“Well, we still sold every ticket” in 2008, noted team vice president of finance and administration Paul Baniel. “We’ve had sellouts since 1961.”

Chimed in Murphy: “And, you know, the person that replaced Brett Favre did pretty well.”

Of course, there’s no guarantee Love will be to Rodgers what Rodgers was to Favre. Maybe Love keeps the train rolling and gives the Packers another decade of on-the-field success – with those wins meaning one profit-turning season after another. Or, maybe the Packers’ run of success on and off the field will come to an abrupt halt.

While it’s true the Packers sold out their games during their lean seasons, those tickets often were sold for pennies on the dollar on the secondary market. While that fact won’t impact the team’s bottom line, empty seats mean fewer beers sold on gamedays and fewer people apt to buy a jersey or take a stadium tour.

It’s worth noting Rodgers, the 24th pick in 2005, and Love, the 26th pick in 2020, are two of 10 quarterbacks selected between No. 20 and No. 32 of the draft since 2005. Rodgers (nine), Lamar Jackson (one) and Teddy Bridgewater (one) are the only Pro Bowlers from that bunch. Meanwhile, Brandon Weeden, Tim Tebow, Johnny Manziel, Paxton Lynch and Brady Quinn were big-time busts.

Murphy, however, wouldn’t indulge in that uncertainty and how it could impact the team’s finances.

“That’s our answer, and we will stick with it.”

Countdown to Packers Training Camp

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Training Camp schedule

30 Days Until Training Camp: Potential cuts

29 Days Until Training Camp: First-year starting QBs

28 Days: Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon and top running back tandems

27 Days: Record-setting red-zone dominance

26 Days: In Wisconsin sports, misery loves company

25 Days: Matt LaFleur's record-setting start

24 Days: The triumph of turnovers and the one that got away

23 Days: Jaire Alexander

22 Days: Green Bay's record-setting second quarter

21 Days: Aaron Jones' place in NFL history

20 Days: How many kicks has Crosby missed since 2018 at Detroit?

19 Days: Eliminating big-play passes

18 Days: The snubbed star, Za'Darius Smith

17 Days: Davante Adams' dominance

16 Days: Marquez Valdes-Scantling fills need for speed

15 Days: These five players must rebound

14 Days: 53-man roster projection

13 Days: Quarterbacks preview

12 Days: Running backs preview

Ranking the Roster

Nos. 46-48: Randy Ramsey, Oren Burks, Ty Summers

Nos. 49-51: Jace Sternberger, Dominique Dafney, Hunter Bradley

Nos. 52-54: Yosh Nijman, Ben Braden, Simon Stepaniak

No. 55: Cole Van Lanen

Nos. 56-58: Isaiah McDuffie, Jonathan Garvin, Tipa Galeai

Nos. 59-61: Kurt Benkert, Juwann Winfree, Malik Taylor

Nos. 62-64: Patrick Taylor, Dexter Williams, Isaac Nauta

Nos. 65-67: Ka'dar Hollman, Kabion Ento, Stanford Samuels

Nos. 68-70: Jake Hanson and two specialist challengers

Nos. 71-74: Christian Uphoff, Henry Black, Innis Gaines, Jake Dolegala

Nos. 75-77: Coy Cronk, Willington Previlon, Jack Heflin

Nos. 78-80: Delontae Scott, Carlo Kemp, Bronson Kaufusi

No. 81: WR Bailey Gaither

Nos. 82-84: WRs Reggie Begelton, Chris Blair, DeAndre Thompkins

Nos. 85-88: LBs Ray Wilborn, Scoota Harris; OL Zach Johnson, Jacob Capra

No. 89: G Jon Dietzen

No. 90: K JJ Molson