Carmen and Jurko / ESPN Chicago
Legendary NFL coach Mike Holmgren says the Aaron Rodgers drama in Green Bay is all the Packers’ fault … and he says if he were running the show there, it would’ve never gotten to this point.
The 72-year-old — who coached the Pack from 1992-1998 — broke it all down on the “Carmen and Jurko” show on ESPN Chicago … saying straight-up the Packers blew their marriage with the QB.
“I can’t imagine a relationship between the coach, or management, or whoever is making the decisions and a star quarterback like that getting to this point,” Holmgren says.
“I just can’t imagine it. I wouldn’t allow it. It wouldn’t happen.”
Holmgren says the team should have looped in Rodgers before it drafted Jordan Love in 2020 … adding Green Bay should’ve done everything in its power to keep the future Hall of Famer happy.
“With a franchise quarterback and a guy as good as Aaron — you don’t treat all the players the same,” Holmgren said. “You have a line that no one crosses, but I would call him in and say, ‘Look, we’re going to do this. This is how it’s going to affect you.'”
“‘We’ve got to get ready for when you retire. We’ve got to kind of think of the franchise. But, nothing’s going to happen now. You’re the man. You’re the guy.'”
Holmgren says he believes that would have resolved issues … and even if it didn’t, he says he would’ve found other ways to fix it.
Of course, Mike acknowledges back in his day he never really had to have conversations like these — saying when he was with San Francisco, they never told Joe Montana about bringing in Steve Young.
Holmgren, though, explained, “It’s a different world now. It’s a different world.”
For their part, the Packers say they’re confident the issues with Rodgers will be fixed in time for the 2021 season … with GM Brian Gutekunst saying just days ago, “I do think he’ll play for us again.”