NYT bestselling author reveals Aaron Rodgers' lingering grudge against Packers

Aaron Rodgers is looking to put together a full season with the New York Jets in 2024 - or, at least, one that does not end after just four snaps. The quarterback is motivated for his comeback to prove doubters wrong, not only returning from an Achilles tear, but also to cast aside doubts about his age.

The great players of the world always have a huge motivation as their biggest fuel, and Rodgers is no different. However, the ways to become motivated can vary, and the quarterback still can't get over his parting ways with the Green Bay Packers.

According to writer Ian O'Connor, who wrote a biography about the quarterback's life which will be published on August 20, his resentment of the Green Bay Packers is still loud and clear:

Colin: does Aaron still resent the Packers?

Ian: Yes. I think the greats, they feel slighted, and they never forget it. And Aaron holds a grudge like he holds the football, with a very firm grip. He never lets go. So there's no question. If you asked Aaron which team he'd like to face in the Super Bowl as a member of the New York Jets, it's the Green Bay Packers— I think the Packers wanted to fire him, and I think he knows that, and I think he'll never forget it. This is a guy who, out of high school, didn't have a single scholarship offer. He gets humiliated at the draft. He got 1310 on his SATs. He's a great quarterback, and he's got to go to the local community college. Those things add up to that gigantic chip on his shoulder that still has not gone away.

O'Connor was present at Colin Cowherd's "The Herd" to promote the book "Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers", which will deep dive into the quarterback's life.

Why does Aaron Rodgers resent the Packers?

Rodgers was traded by the Green Bay Packers after a decade and a half with the team, but just one Super Bowl win, which left scars late into their relationship. Going to the Jets was a chance to prove himself once again in a bigger market, but disaster struck quickly.

As the team used a first-round pick in Jordan Love while Rodgers was still there, the relationship began to strain, and after three years, he was finally moved to another team, while Love took the reins from 2023 onwards.