NFL games today: 5 players who disappointed the most on Sunday - September 12th, 2021

There was a lot of anticipation heading into the first Sunday of the 2021 NFL season.

Fans were back in the stands at NFL stadiums across the country for the first time in nearly two years. While some NFL teams looked to continue their winning ways from last season, others were looking to start new chapters in 2021.

But amongst all of that, there were some NFL players who didn't play at the high level that was expected of them. On that note, here's a look at five of them:

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#1 Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers

The entire NFL offseason was focused around Aaron Rodgers. When he didn't arrive at OTAs or mandatory mini camp, the attention turned to whether he would play at all in 2021. When Rodgers and the Packers finally agreed to new terms, Rodgers reported to training camp, but didn't play a single snap in preseason play.

When Rodgers took the field against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday afternoon, there were expectations of him picking up where he left off in his MVP season in 2020. Rodgers was expected to lead the Packers to the postseason in what could possibly be his final season in Green Bay.

That didn't happen, though. Rodgers and the Packers were defeated by the Saints 38-3. Rodgers went 15/28 133 yards and two interceptions for a completion rate of just 53%. To say that that was uncharacteristic from the reigning NFL MVP would be an understatement. The Packers removed Rodgers from the game in the fourth quarter and replaced him with Jordan Love.

It's official: The Saints' 38-3 win is the worst loss of Aaron Rodgers' career.

— Jeff Duncan (@JeffDuncan_) September 12, 2021

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#2 Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts

There was a lot of talk all offseason about Michael Pittman Jr., becoming a top target for newly acquired quarterback Carson Wentz. Wentz and the Colt's offensive line struggled in Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks, though. Pittman Jr. had just three catches for 29 yards as Indy fell to the Seahawks 28-16.

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#3 Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans

Running back Derrick Henry joined the 2,000-rushing yards club in 2020. There was some talk of a slump for the star running back this season. But the Titans were cautious with him all preseason to ensure he had fresh legs when Week 1 came around.

The Titans, though, disappointed in an astounding 38-13 defeat to the Arizona Cardinals. Henry had just eight rushing yards in the first half, and finished with just 58 yards, averaging 3.4 yards a carry.

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#4 Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons hired a new head coach this offseason in Arthur Smith, the offensive genius that led the Titans last season. The Falcons then went on to draft Florida Gators tight end Kyle Pitts with hopes that he would be an explosive target whom quarterback Matt Ryan could use, especially after trading away Julio Jones.

Rookie Kyle Pitts never really got going, but neither did the Falcons offense in a 32-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles; perhaps one could blame the entire team for being disappointing.

But when the Falcons drafted Pitts with the fourth overall selection, there was a lot of hype around him that just wasn't there in his first NFL game, as he registered just four catches totalling 31 yards. Pitts ended up being the only top-15 draft pick who didn't score a touchdown on his NFL debut.

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#5 George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

George Kittle missed a significant amount of time in 2020 due to injury. But his performance in Week 1 against the Detroit Lions was a bit surprising.

George Kittle with the MEAN stiff arm 💪(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/fe05wCb27O

— Overtime (@overtime) September 12, 2021

Kittle had just four catches for 78 receiving yards. There were some bright aspects about his performances, though, He averaged 19.5 yards a carry, and was a good blocker throughout the NFL game.