Aaron Rodgers says cell service is to blame for lack of communication with Packers

Trying to pin down exactly where the miscommunication between Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers began has been a question mark ever since the quarterback went on The Pat McAfee Show to announce his “intention” to play with the New York Jets over a month ago. In that interview, Rodgers stated that once he emerged from his darkness retreat, he was notified by friends around the league that the Packers were putting out feelers for a trade involving him.

At the NFL owners’ meetings in late March, Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst stated that Rodgers’ lack of responses to the team’s attempts to reach out to him is what got the ball rolling on the Packers embracing the Jordan Love era.

“As we got out of the offseason or after the season, we had a good conversation and were going to have some follow-up conversations. Our inability to reach him or for him to respond in any way, I think at that point I had to do my job and kind of reach out, understanding that a trade could be possible, see who was interested.”

As recently as Tuesday, the day before it was officially announced that Rodgers would be a Jet, Gutekunst mentioned that the team had tried to contact the former four-time MVP of the league throughout the winter.

“As we got through the offseason and started talking about where we wanted to go, this made a little bit of sense for us. We wanted to get his input, like I told you guys in the past, would have loved to have that and see where he sat with that. That didn’t happen. That was a little bit unfortunate and disappointing for me.”

In his opening press conference in New York, Rodgers was asked by The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, who covers the Green Bay Packers, for his side of the story. This is what Rodgers had to say: “People who know me, I’m fortunate to live in a beautiful house. The only downside is I have very limited cell service. If you want to get ahead of me, I need to see your face. You have to FaceTime me.”

That’s right, this messy, dragged-out breakup might have simply been avoided if Malibu’s network was stronger. Hopefully, Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas own iPhones. Good luck in New York and stay on the field for at least 65 percent of those offensive snaps, Aaron.