The leadership of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has frequently been questioned over the past couple years. A number of current teammates have defended him, whereas some of these accusers happen to be former teammates.
Whenever the topic comes up, the first words out of Rodgers’ mouth are: “I’m not a rah-rah guy.” In fact, he uttered that line again after the Packers’ loss to the Colts.
“I’m not a rah-rah guy, but I’m a focused, enthusiastic player. I don’t know what the lack of juice was. I felt that over the entire sideline. We didn’t have the same kind of encouragement we had the last two weeks. We have to look deep in the mirror. That’s not acceptable.”
I congratulate the Packers’ acknowledged leader – shortly following the loss – for pointing out a major reason for the unhappy outcome. I think it was an honest and accurate observation.
My question is: if he recognized the problem from the start, what did he – or anyone else connected to the team – do to try to correct it? Was anyone trying to instill some energy and enthusiasm into the players? Was anyone going around during warmups or on the sidelines during the game trying to juice the team up?
Do the Packers even have any rah-rah guys on this team, whether on offense, defense or special teams? Jordy Nelson doesn’t fit the part. Clay Matthews has been a leader of sorts for the defense, but I wouldn’t describe him as a rah-rah guy. Mike Daniels is probably the closest the Packers have to a rah-rah guy on the defense. I believe that last year Chris Banjo assumed the role of rah-rah guy on the special teams units and did a great job, but now he’s gone.
If not a player, what about the coaching staff? A number of NFL teams have coaches who are rah-rah guys. In Seattle, head coach Pete Carroll is that guy. Former Packers’ assistant coach Jon Gruden (1992-94) was another one. We know Mike McCarthy isn’t right for the task, but what about the assistants? The Packers have eight offensive coaches, eight defensive coaches, two special teams coaches and four strength and conditioning coaches.
These guys are out on the field during warmups for hours before the game, they’re in the locker room during halftime and most of them roam the sideline throughout the game. Shouldn’t it be a function of every coach to make sure players are energized? It must have been obvious to many of them that the team was flat even before the Colts scored 13 seconds into the game. Did any of these guys try to fire up the players before or during the game?
Ultimately, it’s the head coach’s responsibility to have his team ready to play. Was McCarthy even aware of the team’s lack of energy? This is one reason why McCarthy tried to give up play-calling last year – to get his nose out of the play sheet and have more awareness of everything going on around him.
The Packers have been one of the league’s lowest-energy teams throughout McCarthy’s tenure. McCarthy doesn’t have to be like Pete Carroll, but he needs to assure that someone is handling this function.
If the Packers don’t have a suitable person, they should hire one. And make each player accountable – by giving the Juice Coach authority to bench anyone who doesn’t show up at the stadium energized and ready to play to win.
Kevin Greene was a rah rah guy. I think he was a leader of sorts
Brilliant! Greene left Green Bay after the 2013 season to spend more time with his wife and kids, but wants to return to coaching when the kids go to college. But a Juice Coach only has to be available on game days – plenty of time left for family matters. Bring Kevin Greene back!
Yeah, unfortunately the packers didn’t want him back after he attempted to come back. Still not happy about that.
When he left. they should have offered him Capers job to stay. Players aren’t the only leaders on a team, and my .02 is, this is the kind of leader you’d like to see running the defense.
The Patriots don’t need a rah rah guy.. they have a we’re gonna blow you out mentality… that’s what’s missing. Killer instinct not hooting and hollering.
I want a dude on the team has the attitude of Ving Rhames ‘Marcellus Wallace’ character, starts talking about gettin’ medieval, pliers and blowtorch level stuff on the opposition when thing aren’t going their way.