Green Bay Packers: Rodgers never wanted McCarthy as head coach

People around the Green Bay Packers were left wondering how everything came apart for an organization that looked poised for greatness.

Back in February of 2010, the team seemed ready to become the next great dynasty in the NFL. They had a young roster filled to the brim with talent and a quarterback in Aaron Rodgers ascending to the top of the NFL food chain. From the outside, it seemed like this was a team that would rule the NFC for the next decade. Then, slowly, year after year everything seemed to start coming apart.

In 2011 the team went 15-1, looking suitably like a juggernaut and then were inexplicably blown out in their own building by a New York Giants team that went 9-7 in the regular season. Each season started out with such promise, only to end in bitter disappointment. The two NFC championship losses in Seattle and Atlanta. Missing the playoffs for the first time since 2008 two years ago.

All the while a rift seemed to grow larger by the day between Rodgers and head coach Mike McCarthy. It was difficult to say exactly where and when that animosity began. As it turns out according to Tyler Dunne of Bleacher Report, it was always there.

Aaron Rodgers never wanted to play for McCarthy due to NFL draft debacle

More from NFL Mocks

The origins of this hatred began before the two even came together. For those who don’t remember, McCarthy was the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers in 2005, a year before he took over the Packers. The 49ers held the #1 pick in the draft and needed a QB. Their options were either Rodgers or Utah standout Alex Smith. Rodgers felt that San Francisco intended to pick him.

So when they chose Smith instead, it created a wound that never truly healed between the two.

"No, Rodgers would not forget that McCarthy had helped perpetuate his four-and-a-half-hour wait in the NFL draft green room the year prior. His nationally televised embarrassment. McCarthy, then the 49ers offensive coordinator, chose Alex Smith No. 1 overall. Not Rodgers.No, Rodgers would not take it as a funny accident. This is what ensured the two would never truly get along.“Aaron’s always had a chip on his shoulder with Mike,” says Ryan Grant, the Packers’ starting running back from 2007 to 2012. “The guy who ended up becoming your coach passed on you when he had a chance. Aaron was upset that Mike passed on him—that Mike actually verbally said that Alex Smith was a better quarterback.”"

So one can imagine how Rodgers felt when the Packers chose to make McCarthy their head coach the next year. He must’ve been internally furious but kept it hidden for the benefit of his team. However, as time progressed and the winning started to die away, the coverup began to fail. Rodgers hated played in what he considered to be a “dumb” offense and was growing more vocal about it each year.

Based on all this information, one can imagine nobody was more elated the day McCarthy was fired than Rodgers was.

Home/NFL Hot Takes