Ian Rapoport of NFL Network indicated that the apparent “death knell” in the fractured relationship between the Green Bay Packers and quarterback Aaron Rodgers came as a result of last year’s release of wide receiver Jake Kumerow.
From NFL Now: Summing up the #Packers situation with QB Aaron Rodgers, who also wanted more input in personnel decisions… and how the Jake Kumerow release (!!) played into it. pic.twitter.com/EOGG9aQg3R
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 3, 2021
“Rodgers, I’m told, also wanted to be more involved in some of the personnel decisions,” Rapoport said. “This is crazy, but it does seem that the one thing that drove Rodgers nuts was when the organization released Jake Kumerow just a day after he praised him publicly. Described as a little bit of a death knell in the relationship. So much here to fix, and I know that the Packers are now trying to fix it.”
Kumerow had been signed by the Packers in 2017. After spending two seasons with the Packers, he was released last September and picked up by the Buffalo Bills.
During Kumerow’s two seasons with the Packers, he caught only 20 passes. Still, it seems clear that Rodgers saw the release as a slap in the face from the franchise.
The Packers have indicated that they have no plans to trade Rodgers, who’s spent his entire career with the franchise.
However, if the relationship deteriorates much more, they may be forced to send the future Hall of Famer elsewhere and install second-year quarterback Jordan Love as his replacement.
