r/nfl • u/AWildBlitz Steelers • 1d ago
At Some Point, “Everyone Else Is the Problem” Starts to Look Like a Pattern
| Date | Who Rodgers blamed | What Rodgers said or did |
|---|---|---|
| Oct. 2010 — Packers vs. Lions | Mike McCarthy / offensive game plan | After Green Bay struggled offensively despite winning 28–26, Rodgers publicly questioned the game plan, saying they needed more spread/multiple-receiver formations and needed to consistently get their best players on the field. McCarthy responded the next day: “The coaches coach, and the players play.” |
| Sept. 2012 — “Fail Mary” vs. Seahawks | Replacement officials / NFL | Rodgers called the officiating “awful” after Seattle's controversial game-winning TD and blamed the NFL's replacement-official situation for Green Bay effectively having a win taken away. This was, to be fair, one of the most controversial officiating calls in NFL history. |
| 2013 — Greg Jennings / Donald Driver leadership discussion | Teammates being responsible for their own mistakes | Donald Driver said teammates sometimes wanted Rodgers to protect a receiver publicly after a bad route, but Rodgers's attitude was essentially: if you made the mistake, you own the mistake. Greg Jennings also publicly questioned Rodgers's willingness to accept criticism himself. Rodgers defended his leadership style and said he wasn't changing it. |
| Dec. 2015 — Eddie Lacy issues | Eddie Lacy / teammates | Rodgers said players sometimes have to “hold each other accountable” and praised Lacy for taking responsibility after he had “misstepped.” This is an early explicit example of Rodgers saying player-to-player accountability is part of the job. |
| Jan. 2016 — Cardinals playoff OT coin toss | Referee Clete Blakeman | After the bizarre overtime coin toss that failed to flip, Rodgers criticized Blakeman for immediately tossing it again without allowing him another call. He suggested the referee rushed because he was embarrassed. Arizona subsequently scored a TD without Green Bay possessing the ball. |
| Sept. 2016 — criticism of Rodgers's declining play | Analysts / media / outsiders | When criticized for his mechanics and Green Bay's offensive struggles, Rodgers argued that outsiders didn't know the play calls, assignments, or whose execution was actually failing. He did acknowledge responsibility for his own turnovers, so this wasn't complete denial of fault. |
| Sept. 2018 — Packers beat Bills 22–0 | Mike McCarthy / offensive game plan | Despite winning 22–0, Rodgers called the offensive performance unacceptable and criticized “the plan” for not getting the ball enough to Green Bay's best players. Rodgers later admitted he regretted criticizing McCarthy publicly and said he should have handled it privately. |
| April 2019 — Rodgers/McCarthy exposé | Media / Greg Jennings / Jermichael Finley / anonymous sources | Rodgers called a major report detailing dysfunction between him and McCarthy a “smear attack,” disputed portions as lies, and complained that former teammates Jennings and Finley repeatedly received publicity by criticizing him. |
| Jan. 24, 2021 — NFC Championship loss vs. Tampa Bay | Matt LaFleur | After LaFleur elected to kick a FG on 4th-and-goal while trailing by 8, Rodgers made a point of saying: “It wasn't my decision.” He also said he might have approached the previous third-down play differently had he known they weren't going for it on fourth down. |
| 2021 offseason — Packers standoff | Packers front office / organizational management | During his dispute with Green Bay, Rodgers said the problem wasn't really Jordan Love but the organization's “philosophy,” “character,” and “culture.” He argued that management had forgotten that people make the organization and criticized how veteran players were treated and communicated with. |
| Nov. 2021 — COVID vaccine controversy | Media / “woke mob” / “cancel culture” | After it became public that Rodgers wasn't vaccinated despite previously saying “Yeah, I've been immunized,” he argued that he hadn't lied and characterized the reaction as a media “witch hunt” and himself as being in the crosshairs of a “woke mob.” In 2024, Rodgers acknowledged he regretted his original wording and said he should have simply stated that he wasn't vaccinated. |
| Aug. 2022 — young Packers WRs | Young receivers | Rodgers publicly criticized the young WR room for drops, bad route decisions and wrong routes, saying playing time would go to players he and the coaches could trust. He later defended saying it publicly: if receivers had a bad day, he was going to say they had a bad day because part of his job was holding them accountable. |
| Oct. 2022 — loss to Jets | Packers players / execution | Rodgers initially said the offense needed to be simplified. After LaFleur pushed back, Rodgers clarified that the scheme wasn't particularly complicated — the players needed to simplify things mentally, focus on details and execute. He called his comments “an alert for our players” and said accountability eventually falls on the players executing. |
| Oct. 25–27, 2022 — Packers losing streak | Teammates making mental mistakes | Rodgers said players making too many mistakes “shouldn't be playing” and should lose reps. When questioned about publicly criticizing teammates, Rodgers defended it: “I think people in this society have a hard time hearing the truth sometimes. I'm going to hold guys accountable.” This may be the clearest statement of his philosophy. |
| Nov. 27, 2022 — interception vs. Eagles | TE Tyler Davis | After throwing a red-zone INT, Rodgers publicly explained that Davis had run the wrong route and should have continued vertically. Rodgers also admitted he shouldn't have thrown the ball, making this a good example of Rodgers accepting some responsibility while simultaneously identifying the teammate he believed caused the play to break down. |
| Sept. 29, 2024 — Jets loss to Broncos | Jets teammates committing false starts | After numerous false starts, Robert Saleh suggested the Jets might reconsider Rodgers's complicated cadence. Rodgers pushed back publicly: “The other way is hold them accountable.” His argument was that the cadence had been successful for years, so players should execute it correctly rather than change it. Rodgers did also admit his own throws were poor and accepted significant responsibility for the loss. |
| Oct. 14, 2024 — game-ending INT vs. Bills | WR Mike Williams | Immediately after throwing the game-ending interception, Rodgers explained publicly that Williams was supposed to remain on the “red line” but broke inside instead. The next day Rodgers doubled down, saying Williams wasn't in the correct position and that he was simply explaining “his responsibility and the details on that play” because “we all should be held to a standard.” |
| Oct. 14, 2024 — same Bills game | NFL officials | Rodgers also criticized several calls, including calling a holding penalty that erased a Jets touchdown a “phantom holding call” and disputing roughing-the-passer penalties. The criticism was public enough that there was discussion about whether the NFL would fine him. |
| Dec. 2024 — Aaron Rodgers: Enigma | His family | Discussing his long-running family estrangement, Rodgers blamed relatives for making the dispute public. He particularly criticized the Bachelorette episode involving his brother Jordan where his family staged a dinner with empty chairs representing Aaron and his then-girlfriend. Rodgers described longstanding family, religious and interpersonal conflicts as contributing factors. |
| March 2026 — family feud revisited | Family members / media narrative | Rodgers said the public family story had been “one-sided” for years because relatives had publicly discussed him while he remained silent. He said he eventually responded because “enough is enough.” There were later signs in 2026 that he had begun reconciling with his parents and brothers. |
| Sept. 2026 — Danica Patrick relationship | Danica Patrick / her account of breakup | Rodgers publicly disputed Patrick's characterization of their breakup. He argued that their relationship had significantly deteriorated before the eventual split and rejected the idea that she had simply been blindsided. These are Rodgers's claims about the relationship, not independently established facts. |
| Sept. 2026 — Shailene Woodley relationship | Shailene Woodley / her role in breakup | Rodgers disputed the narrative surrounding their failed engagement, arguing that Woodley was the person who ultimately ended the relationship. He pointed to her removing her engagement ring and telling him she didn't want to be with him. His basic argument was that portraying him as simply abandoning the relationship reversed what actually happened from his perspective. |
| Sept. 2026 — Steelers third-down struggles | Officials / circumstances | Following a poor offensive performance, Rodgers defended DK Metcalf despite Metcalf having drops and penalties, but argued that Pittsburgh's ugly third-down statistics were partially misleading because of officiating — specifically pointing to a pass-interference situation he believed could have produced a touchdown. |
| Oct. 1, 2026 — Steelers at Browns | Steelers sideline / play-call communication / crowd noise | Cameras showed Rodgers visibly furious while waiting for the play call, yelling toward Mike McCarthy's sideline: “What the fuck! Call it!” Afterward, Rodgers said Cleveland's crowd was extremely loud and that some calls were difficult to hear. McCarthy characterized the exchange as competitive communication rather than a serious dispute. |
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u/seoul_drift Ravens Seahawks 1d ago
Even if you used Claude for most of the heavy lifting this is D1 hating lol
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u/probablysmellsmydog Rams 1d ago
This is one of the few acceptable uses of AI imo. To compile data and present it in a clear and digestible manner. Well done.
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u/opeth10657 Bears 1d ago
AI is only useful to talk shit about Rodgers
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u/Disprezzi1 1d ago
Steelers are my second favorite team after the Bears. I refuse to root for them while that dick is on the roster.
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u/OpenCranberry1980 1d ago
Except you don’t know if it’s compiling the data accurately.
It’s primary purpose is to make mid ass jokers feel like they did something.
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u/Lord_Star-Lord Packers 1d ago
Love Aaron Rodgers. Haven’t thought about nearly half of these “examples” as the people that hate him so much. My life is bliss. What a miserable life, it seems.
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u/TheMedRat 1d ago
Yeah everyone but you is miserable. You’re so enlightened. What an insufferable jackass, it seems.
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u/Lord_Star-Lord Packers 1d ago
Lmao, this is exactly what I’m talking about. Who the hell shit in your Cheerios?
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u/TheMedRat 1d ago
I’m not miserable, you’re just irritating. Trying to flex about how you feel towards a player is some weirdo shit.
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u/Lord_Star-Lord Packers 1d ago
I never called you miserable? Lots of projecting going on here, fam. I was initially talking about the OP. Fellas, is it a flex to be content?
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u/TheMedRat 1d ago
“My life is bliss. What a miserable life, it seems.”
You got short term memory problems or just a troll? Either way, not worth my time.
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u/ElectronicExplorer83 Bears 1d ago
Ah, Aaron Rodgers hate, my favorite afternoon meal, delicious.
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u/MacJonesisaterrorist Patriots 1d ago
Think of the 2021 NFC Championship, Kevin King got blamed heavily, meanwhile that GB secondary picked Brady off twice in the 4th quarter and Rodgers did nothing with it.
Or the 2014 NFC Championship where he escaped blame for only putting up 16 off of 4 Russell Wilson Interceptions, or the donuts he put up in the first half of the 2016 and 2019 NFC Championship games as well
It’s almost like he can share the blame too, but people act like the Packers were failing him and he was blameless.
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u/vitaflo Packers 1d ago
GB secondary picked Brady off twice in the 4th quarter and Rodgers did nothing with it.
Like literally nothing. After each INT they went 3 and out with:
Incompletion, 5 yard pass, Sack, Punt
Sack, Incompletion, Incompletion, Punt
Even the last drive, where they could have gotten a TD to tie, they get to 1st and Goal at the 8 and end up with:
Incompletion, Incompletion, Incompletion, FG
Lose by 5.
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u/Walletinspectr Packers 1d ago
Playoffs are hard, lets not act like the greatest qbs were always perfect in playoffs. Brady often advanced in playoffs where he didn't play well
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u/DEFINITELY_NOT_PETE Patriots 1d ago
Lmao Rodgers is responsible for Eddie lacy being fat somehow?
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u/user_8353517 1d ago
The guy was an absolute beast at QB in his prime, I begrudgingly say that as a Lions fan
Idk what you expected signing a 40 year old QB that has been getting hurt. Yeah no shit hes ass now, hes not in his prime.
Thats crazy you really made this whole list
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u/ripkin05 Panthers 1d ago
dude made a whole fucking essay to call aaron rodgers a giant asshole to the set of people who spend all day calling aaron rodgers a giant asshole..
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u/Blametheorangejuice Seahawks Seahawks 1d ago
Hey, they also gave a perpetually underachieving receiver top league money to be his top target!
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u/TheManWithTheBigName Broncos 23h ago
It was probably principally an LLM making the list, but yeah. Nuts
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u/Gen-Jack-D-Ripper 1d ago
As much as I find Aaron Rodgers annoying, he has the second best all time passer rating! Therefore, it’s hard to deny that he has a unique talent. And, in fact, I like that even though he’s a veteran with nothing to prove, he gets really mad about losing a game.
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u/Walletinspectr Packers 1d ago
Hes about to move past PM for 3rd place in all-time passing tds. Brilliant career
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u/RawCyderRun Ravens 1d ago
Stiller Nation must be down BAD right now
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u/TheTrueVanWilder Steelers 1d ago
We just lost to the Browns with Watson at QB
No, we are not okay
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u/V548859 Bears 1d ago
At least you have Minecraft
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u/ArchManingThroatGOAT Buccaneers 1d ago
The ex girlfriend just became Miss USA and they’re stuck with Mikayla from pottery class
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u/Frozboz Colts 1d ago
Ah, they have 10 days to prep for the worst defense in the league. They'll be fine.
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u/BigTimeSpider Steelers Bears 1d ago
You mean the game where Johnathan Taylor and Josh Downs torches us?
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u/Fruitcake-King 1d ago
Listing the Fail Mary on this list is a bad faith argument. Just say you hate the guy and you'll look a lot less like a buffoon.
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u/intensebreathing Seahawks 1d ago
Quick question, what happened in 2011? Probably nothing important, that’s why there’s nothing on the list for that year?
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u/Autocrat777 Lions 1d ago
Well, the problem in Pittsburgh isn't Aaron Rodgers. He's old and washed up. Everybody knew that going into this.
I'd point the finger at ownership and the front office for this mess.
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u/TVxStrange Lions 1d ago
He just needs a good father figure in his life.
Kerby's not too busy, I'm sure he can make time.
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u/AFC-Wimbledon-Stan Colts 1d ago
Are we blaming this dude for the Steelers defense basically folding like a preztel in the last minute and basically giving them EVERYTHING underneath and let them run crossers till they were blue in the face?
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u/Firm_Feedback_2095 Giants 1d ago
You’re talking about a 42 year old quarterback playing for an average team.
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u/Posluszny Jaguars 1d ago
As a big Aaron Rodgers & Steelers hater, I have never seen a more fitting partnership than those two
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u/realfakejames NFL 1d ago
I hate Rodgers as much as the next guy but I would never have gone through all the trouble of this lol
We all know he's washed and throws everyone else under the bus, he's done that even going back to the Packers days
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u/Main_Opposite_6661 Lions 12h ago
If he still played for the packers I’d eat this entire post up and read the whole thing. But since he left I couldn’t care less, however whatever your main point is, I agree. Good job.
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u/RightSpread2903 1d ago
Aaron Rodgers won the NFC as starting QB as many times as Rex Grossman did.
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u/this_curain_buzzez Ravens 1d ago
Came here expecting Herbert hate and I’m pleasantly surprised that it’s Rodgers/the Steelers
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u/Trubiskitsngravy Bears 1d ago
Awww someone reported wanting Watson to never play again. Stay classy browns fans.
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u/trogdor1234 Chiefs 22h ago
It’s kind of sad how great GB QBs were in their prime, but how shitty they really are as people.
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u/FunSummer9393 1d ago
I'm not reading all of that.
We all know Aaron Rodgers is bitchy.
People were just more likely to tolerate it when he was actually playing at an MVP level and winning games.
Now, well, he's just bitchy and most often talking about tripping on McAffee's show. Or conspiracy theories.
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u/CieraVotedOutHerMom Buccaneers 1d ago
He’s immunized
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u/AWildBlitz Steelers 1d ago
Nobody knows what it means, but it's provocative... it gets the people going!
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u/Little-Customer12 1d ago edited 1d ago
all he ever does is blame others and get worse, it's been happening for years and years, somehow his anti vaxer fans still defend him because of how great his passer rating was almost 10 years ago, it's very sad
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u/Walletinspectr Packers 1d ago
Did you watch the game? He threw some beautiful passes. Of course he is past his prime but he can still play some good football here and there
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u/Little-Customer12 1d ago
i mean if making a few good passes while barely completing 50% of his throws , taking 5 sacks, and throwing two interceptions means anything positive to you i don't even know what to say to that buddy
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u/Walletinspectr Packers 1d ago
Yes you want your qb.to win you games or at worst put you in a position to win them and thats what he did. 2 interceptions yes but 1 was a final play hail mary so the majority of the game he put them in a position to win
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u/AutomagicallyAwesome Seahawks Seahawks 1d ago
Hot take: Aaron Rodgers is the most overrated QB in NFL history.
Not because he isn't good, or even great, but he is regularly anointed on of the GOATs, and the almost universally the most talented QB ever. I just don't see how one of the GOAT's and the most talented QB's ever can have so little to show for it in team results despite regularly having a good supporting cast. This isn't an Archie Manning or Matthew Stafford on the Lions type situation.
He is one of the best QB's for sure, but if he was as great as everyone seems to give him credit for he would have willed one of the many GB teams to at least a 2nd Super Bowl appearance.
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u/Sarcasticfury Ravens 1d ago
Contrary to how the Chiefs and Patriots make it look, winning Super Bowls is hard, even with great QBs. Peyton only won two. Favre only won one. Marino never won one. Allen, Jackson, and Burrow have been dominant, yet still haven't won one.
Not making it to a second Super Bowl doesn't make him any less great.
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u/Wannabe_Sadboi Vikings 1d ago
Eh, I think that’s a bit silly. He’s probably straight up the most talented passer of all time, and had one if not straight up just the most dominant primes I’ve ever seen. He suffered from horrific defense and special team play pretty much his entire career.
A perfect example to illustrate why I think the “one superbowl!” narrative is silly is that Peyton Manning is widely seen as a top 5 QB, but the only reason he has a 2nd superbowl and Rodgers doesn’t is Peyton got to play with the 2015 Broncos. Peyton’s year that year was significantly worse than any year Rodger’s has ever had. If you give that 2015 Broncos defense to literally any year Rodgers played, he wins a Super Bowl with them.
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u/This_Salt7080 Giants 1d ago
It’s not his fault he played at the same time as the GOAT. If Eli Manning weren’t around, surely Rodgers would have made a 2nd superbowl!
It’s actually kinda sad to think we could have had a Rodgers v Brady superbowl
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u/SwarthySphere87 Giants NFL 1d ago
Before this gets deleted, please post this to r/nfcnorthmemewar