The Green Bay Packers are doing nothing in free agency, the NFL draft is still too far away for me to care about, and the weather is warming up outside.
In other words, these are the dog days of the offseason for Packers bloggers. There is only so much you can write about 1) Ted Thompson’s philosophy on outside free agents, 2) draft prospects (everyone pretends to be an expert, but only a few actually are), or 3) whatever hot topics still have legs from last season.
So today, I’m going to try something completely different: Trolling. Everyone put on your swimming trunks because we’re about to dive in a giant pool of hot-takery.
Ready? I don’t care, because either way, there’s a hot Packers take coming your way whether you’r ready for it or not. Look out! Here it comes:
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is injury prone. Our worst fears about Rodgers when he took over for Brett Favre have come true. The guy can’t stay healthy.
A broken collar bone forced Rodgers to miss half of the 2013 season. If that wasn’t bad enough, Rodgers took forever to return from the injury. I bet if he pushed himself harder, he could have been back before the season finale and been sharper for the playoffs.
And how about last season? Sure, Rodgers won MVP, but the Packers’ Super Bowl chances were diminished by Rodgers’ injured calf. Yes, the guy who brags about doing yoga and all kinds of other stretch-bendy stuff to stay in shape so he can play until he’s 40 years old strained his calf on some random play against the freaking Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Oooooof.
That’s two seasons in a row where a Rodgers injury has significantly hurt the Packres’ chances for success. And I haven’t even taken into account the two concussions he suffered in 2010.
One knock to the head in 2015 and Packers’ fans might be kissing that season goodbye as well.
Alright, alright, alright. I can’t do it any more. Pretending to be a Skip Bayless-style troll is kinda fun at times, but Jersey Al doesn’t pay me nearly the salary that Bayless earns for his full-time trolling.
So, let me try to bring this post around to something that we — the intelligent, thoughtful, insightful and non-trolling writers and readers of ALLGBP.com — can dive deeper into, if we so choose.
Does Rodgers’ health concern you? Yes, the trolling bit from above was me being facetious, but there’s at least a kernel or two of truth in there. Rodgers has suffered significant injuries the last two season. One he wasn’t able to play through and the Packers went into a tail-spin. The other he played through, but clearly wasn’t as effective as he normally is.
I’m not sure what Rodgers could have done differently to avoid breaking his collar bone or straining his calf. The collar bone injury is just a matter of how he lands when taken to the ground. I suppose you could say Rodgers could train better in the offseason to guard against muscle strains, but I haven’t heard one person ever question Rodgers’ physical fitness or his offseason routine.
The only logical argument one might have when contending Rodgers is now injury-prone is his: age. Rodgers is 31 years old. When you get past 30, your body starts acting like its more than 30 years old, no matter how good a shape you’re in.
Is Rodgers injury prone? Nah. But he is 31 years old.
It’s silly to be a troll about Rodgers durability. But it’s rational to hold your breath a little longer whenever Rodgers goes down now that he’s past the age of 30.
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Adam Czech is a a freelance sports reporter living in the Twin Cities and a proud supporter of American corn farmers. When not working, Adam is usually writing about, thinking about or worrying about the Packers. Follow Adam on Twitter. Twitter .
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My condolences to the authors for having to find something to write about in the upcoming weeks. The player profiles can be interesting though. I don’t think Rodgers is particularly injury prone. Don’t know much about what causes calf strains. I suppose one could try to tie in an article about drafting a QB day 2 (there have even been some folks suggesting taking a QB in the first round on various sites. For the record, I don’t advocate drafting a QB at all, other than UDFA. I could live with a 6th round comp or 7th rounder.
Rodgers has been in the league for 10 seasons. He had a foot injury in 2006 that put him on IR, then a hamstring 2007. Those injuries were prior to his becoming the starting QB. Since becoming the starting QB he has had a concussion in 2010, the shoulder injury in 2013 and the strained calf in 2014. Given how Rodgers plays the game and the fact that this is the NFL I don’t think that he is injury prone. As pointed out his shoulder injury was a matter of how he landed. As for the calf injury last season, I have never been sure how that happened. I was unable to watch the game in Tampa and that injury ended up costing the Packer’s season. Players are going to get hit and there are going to be injuries. My biggest concern with Rodgers are concussions. Another one or two could end his career prematurely. As for other injuries they can happen on any play. Unfortunately for the Packers any significant injury to Rodgers means a short season. The reality is that it is highly unlikely that we will ever see another QB streak like Favre’s (whether you like him or not) in Green Bay or anywhere else in the NFL. For now, I’d be happy with a healthy Rodgers for the entire 2015 season. Thanks, Since ’61
His calf injury doesn’t count, that happened in the bedroom with his beautiful girly friend. He said he would never try that position again. So it’s all good…
Well lets talk where is Aaron position on the QB list regarding sacks suffered during his last 5 seasons, then we can talk about injury prone person!
We should all pray that he isn’t injury prone. Given the current chaos at linebacker and cornerback, we’ll need the offense to average 50 points a game to make it into the playoffs.
lol. speaking of trolling…
Look, my comment was a reflection on the great importance A-Rod has for this team, given the team’s other weaknesses. Yes, we, as Packer fans, should hope that he isn’t prone to injuries. If you are looking for a troll, look in the mirror.
If Arod is injured a full 16 games, we’ll probably not make the playoffs. But I don’t think we’d be 4-12 either. I’m excited to see what Tolzein shows in the preseason – and the rest of the offense is baller.
We just fundamentally disagree on the team’s “other weaknesses”. I see a DL that is average, a CB group that is average, a safety pairing that is top 10, OLB play that is top 10 and ILB is yet to be determined. We have one good piece in Barrington.
Don’t forget the offense. They’re top 5 in every position on offense except TE – and that’s not terrible either.
The defense isn’t BAD. It was in 2011. It was in 2013. But not in 2010, 2012 or 2014 – and there’s no reason to think that it will be in 2015. It’s average. Which means most weeks that 25 points will win the game.
So, of the two of us, which is the troll again? 🙂
Again, my initial post was a statement about the disproportionate importance A-Rod has to our team because of weaknesses on defense. As for trolling . . . You’re so good at it. You’ve gotten my response. You win, hands down. No contest.
Nemo – I was simply replying to your “we’ll have to score 50…” comment. That is ridiculous. Worst case scenario is that we’d have to score 30 a game. The defense won’t be legandarily bad next year, and it might be quite good.
No need to worry, Bearmeat, I acquit you of trolling. Nemo’s positive comments usually are backhanded compliments at best. BTW, w/o Rodgers, 4-12 is unlikely, but I’d guess 7-9 if Tolzien is what I think, and 10-6 if he is what I hope.
Every player that enters the league becomes ‘prone to injury’ simply by the facet of the game.But becoming ‘injury prone’ is descriptive of one who seems easily rendered hurt as like simply…’getting out of bed,chewing gum,walking and what not’.
Rodgers isn’t near the label of ‘injury prone’ but as his age rises his risk of becoming such increases,unless he and the coaching understands how to limit the chances of such by playing smarter football.
QB’s of the ‘freakish athletic types’ will achieve the status of ‘injury prone’ at a fast pace and even more so depending how reckless the ‘it’s all about me’ attitude that is either allowed or pushed on the field.Rodgers will never be ‘injury prone’ via play and even his rise in age is less a risk as long as smart football is constant…less the horrific hit that can come at any moment as like for any QB.
The better a QB can play in the pocket while youth serves him,the less a risk of severe injury as an elder QB who can still command the pocket. 🙂
Short answer: NO. Next. 🙂
I agree. Aaron Rodgers is Pro Bowl prone and that’s about it. Injuries happen and Rodgers for all the pass plays that are called under MM thru the years has been relatively injury free.
Ted
“Pro Bowl Prone.” Nice line. But pro bowl is his floor. How about MVP prone?
Yes, that sounds even better. We’ll go with that going forward.
Ted
Lol! I like that
If I recall, Rodgers was suffering from the flu during the week of Tampa Bay, and at gametime too. Any illness deprives the body of fluids, and if your body is dehydrated you are at a heightened risk of muscle pulls in weird places. Hence the calf pull, which I rarely hear about in the NFL.
There’s your free medical advice of the day – I’m not a real doctor, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
Dumb article, hope you find something of interest to write!
Ditto Dumb- The guys a Viking crossing over the river without a paddle, what do you expect?
Well, I guess they have to write about something !?!?
and I guess all it takes is one wrong move when you have a 350 lb. truck coming at you, Go Pack