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Aaron Rodgers began the NFL offseason with a lot of uncertainty. The big question was, would he return to the only franchise he's known since being drafted at the end of the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft?
Ultimately, the former University of California standout decided to return to the Green Bay Packers. But according to NFL insider Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, it took a lot of convincing in order to get the future Hall of Fame signal caller back with the team.
Here is what Florio had to say about the matter on the Pro Football Talk PM podcast (which can be accessed by clicking the link here):
"But, remember last year when Aaron Rodgers was upset with the Packers? We heard that (GM) Brian Gutekunst and (team president) Mark Murphy and head coach Matt LeFluer had made multiple trips to California to go basically kiss the ring and the a** of Aaron Rodgers." - Mike Florio on Pro Football Talk PM podcast
Whether the report from Florio is true or not, fans of the Packers surely don't mind. Their only concern was getting the No. 12 back on the team for his 18th NFL season, starting in September.
Will Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers return to the Super Bowl?
If the Packers return to the big game for the first time in 13 years, it will likely be because of Aaron Rodgers' superior play. This upcoming season, the team will be without All-Pro receiver Davante Adams, who signed a five-year, $141.25 million deal to play for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Adams is widely regarded as the top receiver in the game today, and the Packers will miss his presence on the field.
The team is hurting at the position as they also lost Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the Kansas City Chiefs and Equinimeous St. Brown to the Chicago Bears.
The Packers will go into the season short of a certified No. 1 receiver for the four-time NFL MVP to target, which puts immense pressure on the offense.
To make matters worse, the team also lost offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who left to become the head coach of the Denver Broncos. On the defensive side of the ball, star edge rusher Za'Darious Smith is now a member of the division-rivals Minnesota Vikings.
The Packers have quite the hill to climb if they are to bring the Lombardi Trophy back home where it belongs.
