It’s still a lot to take in, even for those Green Bay Packers fans who saw the writing on the wall. Jordy Nelson is no longer a Packer, and it hurts.
With the free agency insanity swirling and a new signing being reported seemingly every minute, it’s necessary to take a step back this morning and remember the greatness of a humble young man from Kansas. Blessed with tremendous athleticism — get out of here with any of that “sneaky fast” garbage — Nelson’s performance down the stretch in 2010 put him squarely on the map before he exploded in 2011 as part of a historically great Packers offense. His career is unquestionably one of the greatest in team history, and his class and grace off the field exceed his performance on it.
Let us also never forget Nelson’s toughness and bravery in the 2016 playoff run as he fought through broken ribs to return to the field for the NFC Championship Game.
Truly, Nelson will be remembered as one of the Packers’ greatest players, and rightfully so. We look forward to his eventual induction into the Packers Hall of Fame and hope that before he retires, he will sign a ceremonial contract to formally retire as a member of the Green and Gold.
Memories of moments paint Jordy Nelson's portrait | Packers.com
First, let's begin with a look back at some of the biggest plays Nelson made as a Packer, going all the way back to his second year with a touchdown catch in Minnesota and an 80-yard score against the Giants to set up the Packers 2010 playoff run.
Aaron Rodgers’ career numbers when targeting Jordy Nelson are unbelievable | Packers Wire
Rodgers averaged 9.8 yards per attempt (!!!!) when targeting Nelson over the years. However, that number dropped to 8.2 since his return from an ACL tear in 2015 -- still very good, but not the absurdity that it was beforehand.
Packers fans, players react to release of Jordy Nelson | Packersnews.com
Here's a spin back through social media reactions from various sources, including Packers media and those associated with the team.
Jordy Nelson landing spots: Raiders, Patriots in hunt - NFL.com
Nelson is reportedly taking his first visit to Oakland, where he could reunite with former Packers personnel executive Reggie McKenzie (now the Raiders' GM) and his former wide receivers coach Edgar Bennett.
Here’s Aaron Rodgers’ reaction and message to his favorite target:
And finally, our own photoshop guru, Matub, sends out this heartfelt tribute:
It's been a long day without you my friend.
— My name's Matt, but call me Matub (@CallMeMatub) March 13, 2018
And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again.
We've come a long way from where we began.
Oh, I'll tell you all about it when I see you again pic.twitter.com/srcDr1VzON
Thanks, Jordy. We’ll always miss you.
NFL free agency 2018: The top 100 players and where they sign - SBNation.com
To bring things back to the other events of the week, just eight of the top 30 on this list remain uncommitted for now, illustrating how hilarious the "legal tampering" period is. Still, the Packers have two of those top 30.