Kenny Mayne is an ESPN legend.
Aaron Rodgers is a legendary Bears nemesis.
So when the two shared the same screen on Monday night’s SportsCenter send-off for Mayne, I had to tune in. Not just because watching Mayne on SportsCenter took me back to a simpler time of being a sports fan. But also because Mayne is a good interviewer. And if anyone was going to get something of substance from Rodgers’ first public comments since the end of the NFC Championship Game, it was gonna be Mayne.
Naturally, Kenny did not disappoint:
Aaron Rodgers to Kenny Mayne:
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky)
Rodgers: It's just kind of about a philosophy & maybe forgetting that it is about the people that make the thing go. It's about character, culture, doing things the right way. A lot of this was put in motion last year & the wrench was just kinda thrown into it when I won MVP
— Jen Lada (@JenLada)
Alright, so Aaron Rodgers loves (1) Jordan Love – his heir apparent, (2) his coaching staff, (3) teammates, (4) and Green Bay fans. Not explicitly mentioned in the love fest is the front office. This feels like a jab at GM Brian Gutenkust. Or maybe just a warning shot to use his own words to drive home his feelings, rather than going through back-channels elsewhere. And what does it mean when he says winning the MVP threw a wrench into things put in motion? This all feels like when the fourth wall is broken, but no one wants to take responsibility for taking it that far.
In any case, Rodgers’ candid commentary should have us all on notice.
We’ll discuss more tomorrow.