Colin Cowherd believes Aaron Rodgers isn't 'all in' with the Packers
Colin Cowherd has never been the biggest fan of Aaron Rodgers the player, and the bombastic sports radio personality has taken it a step forward after the Green Bay Packers' fifth-straight loss this season, a 15-9 disappointment against the Detroit Lions.
Even a cursory look at Cowherd's work discussing Rodgers makes it clear that while he thinks the quarterback is an incredible talent, he's never loved his body language or leadership ability in Green Bay.
“He’s not the greatest leader. He can be moody and cocky. Sometimes he’s a little too much rockstar and not enough coachable," Cowherd said in 2016.
“As I’ve said for years, he is not a foxhole guy. He is a bailer, not a baller.” Cowherd said just a few weeks ago while looking at records for active NFL quarterbacks in games that they trailed in 10 or more points.
Credit to Cowherd, he's been consistent about Rodgers' personality not being a great fit as the leader of a fan-owned team in the midwest, but the Fox Sports personality's latest take went a bit too far.
"The NFL humbles you quickly if you are not all in all the time. Offseason. During [the] season. Sideline. And Aaron hasn't always been all in, especially in a season with kid wide receivers," Cowherd recently said on his show. "You see quarterbacks decline, I see quarterbacks decline. It's usually a physical thing, but Aaron's often looked checked out during games. He keeps mentioning retirement over and over, which is why Davante Adams left. He won't commit off-season or in-season to developing, putting your arms around, and mentoring young wide receivers."
Cowherd then went on to compare Rodgers to the latter years of Brett Favre.
"Aaron's becoming Favre," he said. "Stubborn. Rigid. 'I'm going to do things my way. I'm going to hint constantly at retirement, as if If I don't need the sport' ".
It's one thing to criticize Rodgers as the quarterback and even Rodgers as the leader. But to say that Rodgers isn't "all in" with the Packers? Are we talking about the same quarterback coming off back-to-back NFL MVP awards? The same quarterback who has put 18 years of his life into the Green Bay Packers?
Favre certainly waffled about retirement, as has Rodgers over the past two offseasons. With that said, which professional athlete isn't "all in" when they've decided to go back "in"? This is not backyard football or a grudge match at recess.
This is the NFL, darn it. If you're not "all-in" you're going to get very, very hurt.
This terrible take doesn't jive with the personality of any NFL player, let alone a future Hall of Fame quarterback.
Rip Rodgers' leadership ability all you want. He's deserved it with year after year of finger-pointing, eye-rolls, and most recently, tantrums.
To say Rodgers is not "all in" as a professional athlete, though? Even in a terrible season, that's just not something professional athletes do.
That's like saying Cowherd phones in his show just because he had a few bad segments. That's not true, and neither is his most recent criticism of Green Bay's quarterback.
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