Add Alex Smith to the list of NFL figures who aren’t happy with how Aaron Rodgers is being treated by the Packers.
The recently-retired Smith, who was famously selected before Rodgers in the 2005 NFL Draft by the 49ers, was a guest on “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd, and didn’t hold back his feelings about Rodgers’ situation.
“It’s inexcusable,” Smith said. “It’s absolutely inexcusable, I think. How they ever got to this point, I mean Aaron has been there sixteen years, what he’s given to that organization.
“I don’t think it was the fact that they drafted Jordan Love in the first round, I think the fact, how do you have a guy like Aaron and you don’t go make sure beforehand you aren’t going out of your way to make sure that he knows that he’s loved, that they want him there? That we may be taking a quarterback in the first round, we want to make sure you’re okay with it.”
Smith was in a similar situation to Rodgers when he was with the Chiefs. The team drafted Patrick Mahomes in 2017 to replace him, and he spent a year as the starter with Mahomes on the bench before Kansas City traded the veteran to Washington.
However, Smith maintained that the Chiefs were always up front with him when they planned on taking Mahomes, and communicated the situation well. Meanwhile, many reports characterized Rodgers as blindsided when the team traded up to select Love in the 2020 NFL Draft.
“That was something that was talked about throughout the draft process, not just by coach (Andy) Reid,” Smith said. “Everybody involved in the personnel department. And I’m talking multiple times. ‘Hey this really might be something we’re doing, are you okay with it? This is going to be the situation.’”
Rodgers has not showed up for the Packers’ OTAs this offseason, and has maintained he will continue to do so even through training camp. He spoke for the first time on “SportsCenter” earlier this week, saying his frustration was about the team’s “culture” and “philosophy.”