Aaron Rodgers went out of his way midweek to try to clarify pointed comments from last Sunday, but league sources said the future Hall of Fame quarterback has been frustrated with the state of the Packers' offense this season and concerned over some of the staff changes made.
Head coach Mike McCarthy, whose relationship with his superstar player has been under the microscope in recent years, made sweeping changes to his staff after the season, including dismissing quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt, who had a strong relationship with Rodgers. Green Bay also parted with the quarterback's close friend, receiver Jordy Nelson, and the offense has been disjointed and inconsistent thus far.
The lack of a running back is also something that has troubled the hobbling quarterback – Rodgers is playing through a knee injury suffered in the opening game – and the team's conservative approach so far this season. Things are even more acute this weekend, with a trio of the team's top receivers all battling health issues and Green Bay still without anything close to a featured running back on the roster.
The Packers just made Rodgers the highest-paid player in the history of the game, again, before the season, and sources said that he has a strong relationship with team president Mark Murphy, the de facto owner of the publicly-held franchise, and there is certainly a sense of urgency throughout the organization to begin to maximize the remainder of the prime of the passer's career. Rodgers has made comments in recent years, including Sunday, that have been difficult to interpret as anything but complaints about play-calling, which McCarthy has taken over once again.
The dynamic between coach and player after 12 years is something being watched closely by those close to them, with McCarthy signed just through the 2019 season at this point and the Packers having high hopes for this campaign. Several people in regular contact with the duo wonder if they'll still be working together next season, though obviously ample time remains this season to produce a more efficient point-scoring offense and contend in the tough NFC.
