Ex-NFLPA head couldn’t stand ‘isolated, dismissive’ Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers has been the center of attention during his time in the NFL, and it was no different this offseason. The New York Jets parted ways with Rodgers earlier this offseason, and after months of speculation on what he would do next, he finally signed a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Aaron Rodgers does this, and it rubs people the wrong way.

Former NFLPA President DeMaurice Smith seems to have been one of those people. In his new book, “Turf Wars,” Smith indulged in much interesting information. Still, the biggest standout is what he said about the future Hall of Fame quarterback, a prominent opponent of the 2020 Collective Bargaining Agreement.

“The god of Cheesehead Nation was isolated and dismissive,” Smith writes, regarding Rodgers’s demeanor during a player meeting. “He sat in the back row of the meeting room, issuing loud sighs before standing for a dramatic exit. An incredible quarterback, to be sure, but an even more impressive antagonist.”

Smith also says this about Rodgers: “In August 2021, my phone chirped with a text from Aaron Rodgers. ‘Can you call me?’ it read. Could I not run into traffic instead?”

Rodgers has been a lightning rod for the public since he decided against getting vaccinated for COVID-19. People did not like that it seemed like he willingly misled the public about it to avoid the backlash.

Since then, he has done similar things in the public eye. While with the Jets, he continued pushing the idea that he would eventually return from an Achilles tear to stay in the headlines. The newest version is that he showed up to Pittsburgh’s minicamp with a wedding ring on but would not say the name of the person he is married to.

DeMaurice Smith also takes other shots across the NFL, calling commissioner Roger Goodell a “cold, dark void.” Then, when talking about Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, he said, “If Jerry Jones saw a dollar bill on the ground, I truly believe he’d stop and pick it up.”

While it remains to be seen how much impact this book by Smith will have in NFL circles, the fact that it’s already ruffling some feathers and calling out some big names means that the entire football world should hold their breath when it comes out.