Once quarterback Aaron Rodgers went down, the Green Bay Packers’ 2017 season went to hell. Not surprisingly, that created a leadership void. It’s something coach Mike McCarthy recently addressed.
“They did a good job to stick together, [but] we’re a little bit spoiled,” McCarthy said. “We have high expectations of our locker room, it’s been so strong for so many years. In comparison to the other 11 years [of McCarthy’s tenure], it wasn’t the best, clearly.
“Enough wasn’t done in the locker room, frankly. That’s something that when we get back together we’ll [do] more about that in specifics.”
The only clear leader on the Packers, other than Rodgers, has been defensive lineman Mike Daniels. However, we’ve heard about other players tuning out his message in the past.
Some pointed to receiver Jordy Nelson as a quiet leader, but we know he’s not outspoken. And more importantly, like so many veteran leaders before him, Nelson has been unceremoniously shown the door. Safety Morgan Burnett, considered the backbone of the defense because of his on-field communication skills, met a similar fate this offseason.
We’ve talked about this many times in the past. The Packers don’t value veteran leadership like they should. Two of the team’s best leaders in recent years were cornerback Charles Woodson and outside linebacker Julius Peppers. The former was released, even though he was willing to restructure his deal. The latter wasn’t offered a contract last year and went out and turned in an 11-sack season in 2017.
You could argue guard Josh Sitton fell into that category as well. He was released on the eve of the 2016 season for refusing to kiss McCarthy’s fat ass.
Then you have guys who have often been talked about as potential leaders that have never actually become leaders. Linebacker Clay Matthews comes immediately to mind. Safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix could be thrown in there as well. Of course, it’s hard to have anyone take your words seriously when you’re authoring the worst season of a mediocre career.
There are other factors at play here, as well.
The Packers are traditionally one of the youngest teams in the league. Clearly, having so many young players can create a leadership void.
Specifically to 2017, backup quarterback Brett Hundley did nothing to provide leadership. McCarthy has mentioned multiple times how Hundley wasn’t prepared. Leadership was certainly part of that.
Throw in a clown like Martellus Bennett and the immaturity of cornerback Damarious Randall — who several veterans wanted released after an early-season sideline outburst — and you’ve got the makings of a toxic situation.
Is it a joke? Is it?
I didn’t know McCarthy has a sense of humor. I think if you have this quote on video watch for several seconds after it. Does he turn away, cover his mouth, and his pot roast shoulders shake with muffled laughter?
Where does leadership start? Answer: With the head coach!!
Exactly. That’s essentially what the head coach is and what he gets paid to do. To be the leader of this team. Yet here he is spouting off about how the team doesn’t have leadership, how the outgoing coordinators didn’t train their predecessors well enough, and how Brett Hundley wasn’t prepared even though MM is known as the so called quarterback guru. Well, guess what McFuck? That all starts with YOU. Funny how this team dumps veteran leaders to the curb like a sack of shit and then complains about not having leadership.
Can’t a head coach be a leader?
Yes, but first, he has to learn how to be a good coach.
It starts at the top.
Unless the team surprises me I’d see if we could get a draft pick to ship MM out of town after the season.. Supposedly, “He’d have another job in five minutes.” That’s what the pundits say, so get something for his overrated ass.
I’d “give up”…..3 first round picks to get rid of Fat Mike and Murphy. All day long.
I would LOVE to see where he landed after 5 minutes and watch as whatever team stupid enough to hire him floundered around aimlessly.
No leadership and no head coach!!!
Bullshit. Not a bullshit artist. Just full of shit.
We won’t see Rodgers in another Super Bowl as a Packer, especially while McCarthy is at the helm pretending leadership is now the problem. What. A. Waste. It was fun while it lasted though. Like 8 years ago when everything looked peachy. RIP Rodgers’ career, you couldn’t have been saddled with a worse head coach.
Mike has been throwing everybody under the bus but himself this off season if you have been following these little interviews he’s granted, ha. Lot of “well it wasn’t my fault” “well i think he was playing out of position” “we need to communicate better as a staff.” Stay tuned for next week when he tells which exact players he thinks need to get their shit together in order for him to keep his job.
Mashed Potato Mike blames everybody but himself. That’s because he is “highly successful.” I’m so sick of his bs comments. I wish he would respond to every question by saying, “Duh!” He would sound smarter.
Lose
That
Photo
Please
That photo in conjunction with this article reminds us that we let a parasite temporarily become a minor role team leader as a social justice warrior and ultimate team cancer. Get rid of it.
I’ll second that. Not one of Rodgers brightest moments.
Bennett comes to the Packers, get’s in Rodgers head and Rodgers starts speaking highly of him and starts becoming his SJW mouthpiece. Then Bennett is gone, and you don’t hear another word about the subject from Rodgers.
Just goes to show, even smart people, can do dumb things.
Whatever good was done by bringing attention to their cause. The Bennett brothers set it back ten fold.