If any athletes have been slacking off during the unusual 2020 offseason, you can bet that Aaron Rodgers is not one of them.
The Green Bay Packers quarterback is working out in and around his home in southern California, and has been fortunate to be able to work with some other NFL players. That group includes one notable teammate: left tackle David Bakhtiari.
With COVID-19 restrictions easing up across the country and in California specifically, Bakhtiari has had more of an opportunity to meet up with some of his teammates for workouts after being limited to contact with just former teammate Clay Matthews during the more substantial lockdown period. Not surprisingly, quarterback Aaron Rodgers is one person with whom Bakhtiari is working out now, as the two Green Bay Packers stars live close to one another.
During a videoconference with reporters on Tuesday, Bakhtiari discussed the workouts briefly when asked about his expectations for Rodgers. While he would not say anything specific about what he hopes to see from number 12, it’s clear that he sees Rodgers as being in tremendous shape.
“We’ve been working together for a while — we were out there running around today in conditioning day,” Bakhtiari said. “Guy’s still got his wheels.”
Mobility has been one of the critical aspects of Rodgers’ game throughout his career, particularly his ability to extend plays and maneuver through the pocket. If his blind side protector sees him as not losing a step at age 36, that should bode well for him in his second season within the current Packers offensive scheme.
Of course, Rodgers’ competitiveness would not allow him to slack off during even a strange offseason like this one. “I know that fire’s still burning deep,” Bakhtiari said of Rodgers’ intensity. “He’s the most competitive person I’ve met so I always expect the most out of him.”
First-round draft picks aside, the Packers expect great things from Rodgers in 2020 as well. And according to one of his better friends on the team, he looks ready to deliver.