Rams' Matthew Stafford Reflects on Support from Lions Fans After Super Bowl Win
Feb 14, 2022
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford celebrates after the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL Super Bowl 56 football game Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Even though Matthew Stafford won a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, he's still thinking about where his career began.
After defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 at SoFi Stadium to capture his first Super Bowl title, Stafford gave a shoutout to the Detroit Lions fans that have supported him even though he decided to part ways with the organization.
"It was amazing. There's no reason for them to cheer for me anymore, and the fact that they did was just a true testament to who they are as people and who they are as fans," Stafford said.
Stafford, the No. 1 pick in 2009, spent the first 12 years of his career with the Lions. During his tenure, he went 74-90-1, having completed 62.6 percent of his passes for 45,109 yards and 282 touchdowns against 144 interceptions.
However, the 34-year-old only reached the postseason in three seasons with the Lions. Detroit lost each of those games, all of which were wild-card round matchups. Regardless, Stafford gave everything he had to the Lions, so it's not surprising fans of the franchise are supporting him.
Leading up to the Super Bowl, "Detroit Rams" shirts, which had the Rams' head on a Lions logo, were sold in Michigan, perhaps one of the largest signs that fans in the state were still rooting for Stafford.
Even Stafford's former Lions teammates were pulling for him in the Super Bowl, including long snapper Don Muhlbach.
“I do wish we'd had done it here [in Detroit]," Muhlbach told ESPN's Michael Rothstein. "It would have been better if we all could have done it together, but I think a lot of his old teammates are thinking the same thing I do. We're all so happy for him.”
His former teammates also voiced support for the veteran after he won the Super Bowl, congratulating him on the victory via Twitter.
Stafford had a magical first season with the Rams. During the regular season, he went 12-5, completing 67.2 percent of his passes for 4,886 yards and 41 touchdowns against 17 interceptions.
In three playoff games leading up to the Super Bowl, he completed 72 percent of his passes for 905 yards and six touchdowns against one interception. He also had two rushing touchdowns.
On Sunday against the Bengals, he completed 26 of 40 passes for 283 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, one of which really wasn't his fault.
His performance helped secure a second Super Bowl title for the Rams and immediately validated the trade L.A. made to bring him in during last year's offseason.
Jared Goff Rumors: Lions QB Likely to Remain with Team; DET Could Still Add QB
Feb 13, 2022
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff throws during the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Lon Horwedel)
Quarterback Jared Goff is reportedly
expected to remain with the Detroit Lions for the 2022 season, though
the front office may seek competition for the starting job.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network
reported Sunday the $15.5 million roster bonus in Goff's contract is
fully guaranteed, which lessens the likelihood of a trade or release "barring something unforeseen:"
Goff was acquired in March as part of
the blockbuster trade that sent fellow quarterback Matthew Stafford to
the Los Angeles Rams. Stafford will lead the L.A. offense in Super
Bowl LVI on Sunday.
The Lions also received a cache of
draft picks in the deal, including a pair of first-rounders, so it's too soon to say Detroit lost the trade, but the Rams are surely
happy with the upgrade they received at the sport's most important
position as they chase a title.
Goff didn't play poorly during his
first season with the Lions. He completed 67.2 percent of his throws
for 3,245 yards with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 14
games.
Yet, much like his time in Los Angeles,
he didn't play at a level that suggests he's capable
of single-handedly carrying an offense like many of the league's top quarterbacks.
The 27-year-old Cal product ranked 24th
in ESPN's Total QBR (39.6) and received a lackluster 60.7 overall
grade from Pro Football Focus.
Goff still felt he made progress
throughout the season, especially in terms of taking on a larger role
in helping scheme the offense with head coach Dan Campbell.
"I was able to have a lot more
control or say—ownership, is maybe the word—and that feeling of
it being mine," Goff told reporters in January. "Dan and the rest
of the staff have been great with that, and making me feel that way,
and it's been really good. I feel I've grown how I should grow
finishing Year 6 now, and hopefully will continue to grow in that
area."
It's also not the best offseason to search
for a new quarterback.
The free-agent class is riddled with
journeymen, and the draft class hasn't revealed many high-end,
surefire prospects. Some trade candidates, led by the Green Bay
Packers' Aaron Rodgers, may become available, but the Lions aren't yet
on the cusp of contention where going all-in on a quarterback is in
their wheelhouse.
So giving Goff another season to prove himself while bringing in some quarterback depth,
preferably through the draft, makes the most sense on paper.
If Goff doesn't take a significant step
forward, the Lions will almost assuredly move in a new direction for
2023.
Aaron Rodgers Rumors: Packers 'Willing to Offer' Contract to Be Highest-Paid QB
Feb 13, 2022
Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers warms up before an NFC divisional playoff NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)
The Green Bay Packers are hoping the allure of a lucrative contract will keep Aaron Rodgers happy enough to remain with the team.
Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Packers are "willing to offer" the four-time NFL MVP a contract extension that would make him the league's highest-paid quarterback.
What would an Aaron Rodgers contract extension look like? Likely two years for more than $45M per year, with voidable years tacked on for cap reasons. https://t.co/pcNg5v1Wko
Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Packers are "prepared to go all in" for Rodgers in 2022 by "spending as close to the cap this year and spreading it into future years as much as possible" to entice their franchise quarterback to return.
If Green Bay follows through, this approach would echo what teams like the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have done in recent seasons to appeal to their quarterbacks.
The Saints have been pushing money into future years against the cap when they were trying to win with Drew Brees. The Buccaneers brought back all 22 starters this season from their Super Bowl team in 2020, but many of those players will be free agents this offseason with the team only having $6.8 million in cap space as things currently stand.
This was an approach the Packers tried last season with Rodgers amid reports he was unhappy with the organization.
Schefter reported in July that Rodgers turned down a two-year extension to become the highest-paid quarterback in the league.
Specific terms of last year's offer weren't made available, but Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs has the highest average annual salary among quarterbacks in the NFL ($45 million).
Instead, Rodgers and the Packers reworked his contract to remove forfeiture provisions that prevents the team from pursuing prorated portions of his signing bonus and to turn the final season of the deal in 2023 into a void year.
Rodgers told NFL Network's Taylor Bisciotti after winning his fourth career MVP award Thursday that he's had "good conversations" with the Packers and will "do some contemplating and make a decision here pretty quick."
If Rodgers is going to stay, there are reasons for the Packers to act quickly on trying to get a new deal done. They need to free up salary-cap space with key players, including Davante Adams and De'Vondre Campbell, set to become free agents.
Green Bay is currently $48.5 million over the cap for next season, per Spotrac. An extension for Rodgers would enable the Packers to lower his 2022 cap hit, which is currently set to be $46.7 million.
Rodgers threw for 4,115 yards and 37 touchdowns during the regular season to help the Packers clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the second consecutive year. They lost to the San Francisco 49ers 13-10 in the NFC Divisional Round.
Packers' Aaron Rodgers Says Decision on NFL Future Is Coming in 'Near Future'
Feb 11, 2022
Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers receives the AP Most Valuable Player of the Year Award at the NFL Honors show Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Aaron Rodgers doesn't plan on a repeat of last offseason.
While questions about whether he would retire or return to the Green Bay Packers remained a major storyline for significant time ahead of the 2021 campaign, he revealed that will not be the case before the 2022 season.
"There will be a decision in the near future," he said during Thursday's press conference after winning the league MVP. "I'm not going to keep a lot of people waiting."
He also told reporters, "A lot of things were done to make me feel really special and important to the present, the past and the future of the franchise," which seemed to suggest some of his previous concerns from last offseason are not still lingering over the decision-making process.
"Should I feel like it's my time to move on and do something else, I'll be eternally grateful for the Packers organization, the fan base and all the incredible 17 years worth of memories and friendships," he added.
There may have been some frustration from Packers fans before the 2021 season when Rodgers' future was somewhat in doubt, but he is a franchise icon who only added to his legacy this past year while winning the fourth MVP of his career.
The one-time Super Bowl champion, four-time All-Pro selection and 10-time Pro Bowler completed 68.9 percent of his passes for 4,115 yards, 37 touchdowns and four interceptions while leading Green Bay to the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
The Packers were 13-3 in games he started and seemed primed to reach the Super Bowl, but they fell short of the sport's biggest stage once again with a loss in the divisional round to the San Francisco 49ers.
Green Bay has been a Super Bowl contender almost every year with Rodgers under center but has not advanced past the NFC portion of the playoffs since the 2010 campaign.
Perhaps that failure will drive Rodgers to return to the Packers and chase a second Lombardi Trophy. Or he may go to another team with the thought that the NFC North squad has reached its ceiling with him under center.
Whatever his decision, it seems like it won't take too long into the offseason.
NFL MVP 2021: Award Winner, Voting Results and Twitter Reaction
Feb 11, 2022
Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers throws during the first half of an NFC divisional playoff NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Aaron Rodgers has proved, once again, that he thrives in chaos.
Despite another season riddled with off-field chatter surrounding various issues, the Green Bay Packers quarterback took home the NFL MVP Award for the second straight year Thursday.
It's the fourth MVP of Rodgers' career, putting him one behind Peyton Manning's all-time record of five.
At 38 years old, Rodgers racked up 4,115 passing yards with a completion percentage of 68.9. He threw 37 touchdowns against just four interceptions, leading the Packers to a first-place finish in the NFC with a 13-4 record.
Rodgers earned 39 first-place votes, followed by 10 for Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and one for Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp, per Josh Dubow of the Associated Press.
After winning the award, Rodgers thanked various members of the Packers organization including head coach Matt LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst.
Aaron Rodgers wins another NFL MVP, thanks the #Packers — notably singling out Mark Murphy, Brian Gutekunst, Russ Ball, Matt LaFleur (and his perfectly groomed eyebrows) — and dedicates the award to the late Ted Thompson and Maura Mandt.
MVP Aaron Rodgers thanks the #Packers’ front office: “Mark, Brian, Russ.” Also thanks Matt LaFleur and his perfect eyebrows. “Appreciate you, buddy.” Sounds like a guy happy with his current situation 🤷🏻♂️
Very kind of Aaron Rodgers to dedicate MVP award to Ted Thompson. Aaron fell to us in the 2005 Draft, but it was Ted who stood in the face of massive criticism and took him when we had the most durable QB in NFL history already on our roster. Ted knew.
Since the beginning of the season, many had speculated that 2021 would be Rodgers' last year with Green Bay. Towards the end of the season, he said he "wouldn't rule out" the possibility of retirement.
Rodgers caused controversy midway through the season when it was revealed that he misrepresented his COVID-19 vaccination status. He said during the preseason that he was "immunized," but he tested positive for COVID-19 in November.
Rodgers had committed multiple violations of the league's health and safety protocols for unvaccinated players, prompting an investigation by the NFL. After the league's review, Rodgers received a $14,650 fine and the Packers were fined $300,000.
Despite the off-field tumult, Rodgers helped lead the Packers to six wins in their last eight games. But Green Bay's season came to an end in disappointing fashion with a 13-10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Round. It was Rodgers' fourth time losing to San Francisco in the postseason during his career.
While it still isn't known whether Rodgers will return to the Packers next season, it remains clear that he is one of the best players in the entire NFL, and now he has another trophy to add to his mantle that proves just that.
Adrian Peterson Talks Eric Dickerson's Single-Season Record, Vikings, More in B/R AMA
Feb 10, 2022
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JANUARY 02: Adrian Peterson #21 of the Seattle Seahawks reacts after defeating the Detroit Lions 51-29 at Lumen Field on January 02, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
It's unclear where Adrian Peterson will play in 2022. But if one thing's for sure, it's that he's had a lasting impact on the game of football.
The legendary running back spent the 2021 season split between the Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks. In four games (three with Tennessee, one with Seattle), Peterson rushed for 98 yards and two touchdowns on 38 carries. He also caught four passes for eight yards.
Despite an underwhelming 2021 season, Peterson has long been considered one of the best running backs in the NFL. He spent the 2020 season with the Detroit Lions, rushing for 604 yards and seven touchdowns.
Before that, he spent two seasons with the then-Washington Football Team from 2018-19, rushing for 1,940 yards and 12 touchdowns in 31 games. He also spent time with the Arizona Cardinals and New Orleans Saints, but he is mostly known for his career as a Minnesota Viking.
In 10 seasons with the Vikings from 2007-16, Peterson rushed for 11,747 yards and 97 touchdowns across 123 games. During his time in Minnesota, he was named Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2007, MVP in 2012, was a four-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler.
Peterson also ranks fifth in career rushing yards (14,918) behind Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Frank Gore and Barry Sanders. He also ranks second on the NFL's single-season rushing yards list behind Eric Dickerson (2,105 yards) with 2,097 yards.
Speaking of Dickerson, Peterson sat down with B/R for an AMA session and talked about several topics, including nearly breaking Dickerson's single-season record, his career with the Vikings and more.
The following is the full transcript from the AMA session.
@ClevelandChad: When did religion become a big part of who you are? Was it always engraved?
Yeah it was something that was always engraved in me from a child. Just understanding at a young age that I was able to understand that there’s nothing you can’t do without having Christ in your life. He’s the source of everything. Growing up and being in the church and having my family and that background, it’s amazing how having that face has changed my life and in football. Having that faith and believing that you can do all things through Christ. You gotta believe that, you gotta understand that it’s a higher power that’s in control and dependent on him that allows you to overcome those situations. To overcome the ACL injury and have the best season of your career, and perform at an outstanding level, God used me as a vessel to say hey, this is what you can do when you have faith. Faith is really important.
@DodgViks15: What was your favorite part about being a Viking?
The history behind the Vikings. The great players, you know. Culpepper, Randy Moss, the defensive guys, the Purple People Eaters, John Randle, Fran Tarkenton. There’s so many people there, a great history. I’ve always loved those colors, you know purple and gold that's always been a god-like color to me, You know, royal purple.
The people I met throughout the process, I met some great people throughout the organization, people that support me throughout my career and those relationships. That’s the kind of thing that you carry with you.
@FitchKarma66: What was the best offense you had the chance to be a part of? 2009 (brett favre, sidney rice, percy harvin))? 2015 (teddy, diggs rudolph)? Another year?
It was definitely the 2009 season. We had some talent on that team. Bernard Berrian, Percy, Harvin, Sidney Rice, Chester Taylor, Brett Favre? Come on. We had a good team and we were stacked offensively as well. We were stacked offensively and defensively too. Antoine Winfield, one of the best corners I’ve probably ever played with. We had some dogs on defense and offense so I definitely gotta go with that year.
@CVikings182: What was your mindset after the ACL tear? What do you think was the biggest factor that helped you get back to MVP status so fast?
How fast I had to reset my mind. I remember being in the locker room and thinking I have to come back better than before.
You know, what can you do about it. It is what it is,. I immediately got my mind right. Ultimately, I can do all things through Christ. Let me get my plan together and execute it. I made it known, my point, this is what I had to accomplish.
It was hard, hard, hard. But when I look back on it, before I ran out that tunnel before that first game, all that hard work was worth it.
@Salah11: How long did it take to get over being 8-9 yards short of Eric’s rushing record?
I wasn’t even thinking about the record, We needed to win that game to get to the playoffs. Don’t get me wrong, I knew I needed at least 200 yards to get that record, which was a lot.
I remember doing an interview after the game, and she was like ‘oh wow, you were like 7 yards short?’ And I said so what? And she said ‘for the record’ and I was like oh. I would’ve rather been 40 yards short. 7 yards short like a first down? I was like oooh
My mindset? I came off an ACL injury and ended up 7 yards short. That record was broke already. In my mind I already had it. The injury I sustained, in my mind I had it.
@Rhettro: What was going through your head when you broke the record for most rushing yards in a game vs. SD Chargers? Was it just a ‘I need the ball. Get out of my way mentality’?
I was just trying to win the game. That first half was terrible. We only had 40 yards on the ground, and 250 came in the second half. I just remembered telling the guys: ‘hey keep pressing, keep pressing. I think in the first half I pressed too much a couple times and it was a missed opportunity. So, I was just trying to make up for the first half. I didn’t know it was going to be 296 but I’ll take it.
@CJShoe: Is there a single team over the course of your career that whenever you played them you just felt like you were going to dominate?
Green Bay. Chicago. Arizona too. I don’t know what it is about Arizona, I feel like a lot of us had success against them. I feel like teams with good defenses I kind of thrived, I loved the challenge of facing against a good opponent
@JTH44: If you could hire one lead blocker from your career as a bodyguard, who are we going with?
I’d probably say Jim Kleinsasser.
@LotusRonin: The guy that gave you the hardest hit in your career was ___
Probably Shaun Rodgers. I had broke outside and I was trying to cut back. He hit me so hard. I got up quick, but I was taken back. Aside from that one, Troy Polamalu hit me in my thigh. I scored a TD, but I still remember that hit to this day. He hit me right on the pad in my thigh and I flipped over. That was one of the hardest hits I’ve had too. It gave me a little contusion.
@Gtogo: Did it ever bother you that people called you AP instead of AD ‘All Day’?
I definitely prefer AD. It doesn’t bother me. People that know me, they call me AD. People call me AP, they’re fine.
@Estuko: Would you like to retire as a Viking?
Oh yeah of course. Bleed purple. I spent a decade there. Have some lasting relationships. Definitely will be retiring in that Vikings uniform.
@NotRudy_Gobert: Super Bowl pick?
I got Cincinnati. 28-24. I think their defense will step up, their offensive line, I think their running game will be a big factor in keeping Burrow up. Ain’t too much you can do about Aaron Donald, I think they’ll limit his opportunities. Hammer in the mouth in the run game, I think that’ll help ‘em loosen up. Two backs from Oklahoma, they’re in the Super Bowl for a reason. I definitely see them pulling it off.
Hey Adrian so I understand you’re partnering with Rebalance which is some pretty cool stuff. Can you tell us more about the Rebalance System and what you’re doing with them?
I’ve been working with this company for about three weeks, and I've been taking their supplement for about three weeks, and it’s been a hit for me.
If you want your mojo back, I’d suggest taking this supplement. Whether you’ve been working in the gym or in your daily life, for me it’s about mastering my mojo.
What’s attracted me to it the most is that it's all natural, and that’s always been important to me in my career, putting the right things into my body. And once I started researching it, it was a hit for me.
It helps balance your cortisol levels. That way your body can naturally enhance itself and produce hormones that allow your body to recover faster and become stronger. It’s been working tremendously for me and it’s been a hit, I encourage everyone to try it. You can do more research and preorder.
The majority of people have a high level of cortisol and that causes stress and diminishes your energy. To be able to balance that out and optimize your potential producing natural HGH and natural hormones to help your body receiver faster and build strength and endurance. Like I said it was a hit for me and it’s a no brainer.
Try it yourself and see if you believe in it and how it responds to you.
Vikings Rumors: Ed Donatell Favored to Take Over as Defensive Coordinator
Feb 9, 2022
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 21: Defensive coordinator Ed Donatell of the Denver Broncos looks on before an NFL preseason game at Lumen Field against the Seattle Seahawks on August 21, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. The Denver Broncos beat the Seattle Seahawks 30-3. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Former Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Ed Donatell has "emerged as the favorite" to take the same position with the Minnesota Vikings, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano.
The 65-year-old would work under Kevin O'Connell, who will be the Vikings' next head coach, according to Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. O'Connell, the Los Angeles Rams' offensive coordinator, cannot be announced for the role until after the Super Bowl.
According to Fowler, the Seattle Seahawks planned to hire Donatell as a defensive assistant before the Vikings opportunity emerged.
The veteran coach helped the Broncos finish 2021 with the No. 3 scoring defense in the NFL and rank eighth in yards allowed.
Donatell spent three years in Denver and has been a defensive coordinator for 10 seasons in the NFL with the Broncos, Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers. He has more than 30 years of experience in the NFL dating back to 1990 as a secondary coach of the New York Jets.
In contrast, the 36-year-old O'Connell has never been a head coach and has only seven years of coaching experience.
It would be similar to how Rams coach Sean McVay approached his first head job. The offensive-minded coach brought in the well-traveled Wade Phillips as defensive coordinator when the Rams hired him at age 30 in 2017. The duo took the Rams to the Super Bowl in their second season together.
Minnesota is looking for a similar turnaround after an 8-9 season under Mike Zimmer.
The defense was an issue in 2021, finishing 24th in points allowed and 30th in yards allowed. It was a steep drop from 2017 when the unit ranked first in both categories.
The defensive coordinator will face pressure to get the defense back on track in 2022.
Packers' Aaron Jones on Aaron Rodgers: 'I Believe in My Heart He'll Be Back'
Feb 9, 2022
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 19: Aaron Rodgers #12 and Aaron Jones #33 of the Green Bay Packers celebrate after Jones' touchdown reception in the third quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 19, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Green Bay Packers running back Aaron
Jones said Tuesday he's hopeful quarterback Aaron Rodgers will return
to the team for the 2022 season.
Jones explained on the NFL Network's
NFL Total Access Live he doesn't have any inside information, saying
he's "heard what everybody else has heard," but he wants the
10-time Pro Bowler back in green, gold and white.
"But I think he'll be there, in my
heart. Green Bay, I can't imagine him anywhere else, that's where
he's been his whole career," he said. "I just can't picture him
anywhere else. I think we had a lot of fun this year, I hope to have
him back and I believe in my heart he'll be back."
Rodgers was a first-round pick of the
Packers in the 2005 draft, and he's provided the franchise with
immense value, highlighted by the Super Bowl XLV title and three MVP
Awards. The latter number will likely increase to four once this
season's MVP winner is announced.
Whether he'll finish his Hall of Fame
career in Green Bay has come into question over the past few years,
though. He was away from the franchise for much of the offseason in
2021 before returning for the start of training camp.
The Packers' outlook for the upcoming
offseason features multiple hurdles. Most notably, figuring out
whether Rodgers is willing to return and, if he does, trying to work
some salary-cap magic to ensure the roster around him is at a
championship level.
Rodgers made it clear after the team
was eliminated from the playoffs by the San Francisco 49ers he had no
interest in waiting out a roster reconstruction.
"I don't want to be a part of a
rebuild if I'm going to keep playing," the 38-year-old Cal product
told reporters.
Yet Green Bay is a projected $49.3
million over the salary cap entering the offseason (via Spotrac) and
still has to handle the future of Davante Adams, who'll likely be
retained via the franchise tag if the sides don't agree on a
long-term extension.
Rodgers could provide an assist by
reworking his own contract, which features a $46.7 million cap hit
for next season.
The one thing working in the Packers'
favor in their efforts to retain the legendary quarterback is the
AFC-NFC dynamic.
Joe Burrow, who'll lead the Cincinnati
Bengals in the Super Bowl on Sunday, joins the Kansas City Chiefs'
Patrick Mahomes, Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen, Los Angeles Chargers'
Justin Herbert and Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson among the
high-profile signal-callers in the AFC. The conference's playoffs
will be a hard-fought gauntlet for the next decade.
The NFC possesses a far more wide-open
feel following the retirement of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Tom Brady
and the New Orleans Saints' Drew Brees over the last two years. The
Seattle Seahawks and Russell Wilson also enter the offseason with an
uncertain future for their longtime partnership.
So if Rodgers' main focus is chasing
down another title, staying in Green Bay alongside Adams and Jones
probably represents his path of least resistance.
Whether he views the situation the same
way remains a mystery, though.
The Green Bay Packers are doing what they can to quash any talk of trading quarterback Aaron Rodgers . In an appearance on SportsCenter , ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported ...
Packers Rumors: Former Raiders Interim HC Rich Bisaccia Named Special Teams Coach
Feb 7, 2022
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JANUARY 15: Interim head coach/special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia of the Las Vegas Raiders looks on before the AFC Wild Card playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on January 15, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
The Green Bay Packers are expected to hire Rich Bisaccia as their special teams coach, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Bisaccia is best known for serving as the Las Vegas Raiders' interim head coach last season, leading the team to a 7-5 record after taking over for Jon Gruden. The squad won its last four regular-season games to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Bisaccia was the Raiders' special teams coordinator and assistant head coach for four seasons. The 61-year-old had the same titles with the Dallas Cowboys from 2013 to 2017 and has coached special teams in the NFL for 20 years across four different organizations.
Several Raiders players lobbied for Bisaccia to become their full-time coach, including starting quarterback Derek Carr:
"We all think he is the right guy," Carr told reporters last month. "I have never seen a coach with the ear to the locker room like he has."
The Raiders ended up hiring Josh McDaniels, allowing Bisaccia to leave for Green Bay.
He takes over a maligned unit that received significant blame for the team's early elimination from the playoffs. The San Francisco 49ers blocked a field goal and returned a blocked punt for a touchdown in the 13-10 divisional-round upset of the Packers, who were the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Green Bay fired special teams coordinator Maurice Drayton shortly after the loss.
Special teams were an issue all season long as the unit ranked 30th in ESPN's Football Power Index.
The Packers allowed the most punt return yards per attempt in the NFL, ranked 31st in field-goal percentage and finished 30th in kickoff return average. Some personnel changes might be necessary going into 2022, but adding an experienced coach in Bisaccia could help turn things around for the title contenders.
