Packers QB Aaron Rodgers Channels Allen Iverson, Talks About Practice…Not a Game
Meredith Nasrall 
Aaron Rodgers is half of a $250 million contract, but despite his fame and wealth, the Green Bay Packers quarterback still has to punch in for practice. In an interview with GQ magazine published earlier this week, he talks about how much harder it’s become for athletes to make their living as professionals because of social media.
Aaron Rodgers, the quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, was interviewed by ESPN’s Jemele Hill. During the interview, he talked about practice…not a game.
Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers and Allen Iverson of the New York Knicks have two things in common. Rodgers is a master at his craft. Back in his playing days, Iverson was the same way.
Neither player seemed to have a strong desire to practice. Rodgers said this in a recent interview.
Aaron Rodgers, quarterback of the Green Bay Packers, discusses practice.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers #12 in the tunnel before a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lambeau Field | Patrick McDermott/Getty Images )
Rodgers has been injured for many weeks and has missed a significant amount of practice as a consequence. First, he had a positive COVID-19 test, which forced him to leave the squad for ten days and generated quite a commotion. Rodgers had a toe injury during his confinement that has been severe enough for him to contemplate surgery. During the bye week, he didn’t go with surgery, but he did state on The Pat McAfee Show that his toe is improving. He has, without a doubt, had to miss a lot of practice.
McAfee was naturally concerned that Rodgers had fallen out of habit as a result of his lack of practice.
According to the three-time MVP, the contrary is true.
Rodgers said that not practicing had become a habit. ‘It takes 21 days to create a habit, so we’ve had that many days when we haven’t done any practice.”
Rodgers has dealt with and played through various injuries during his career. However, he is coming off a season in which he and the Packers as a whole remained extraordinarily healthy. Rodgers said that the 2021 season has been far from ideal, but it’s simply part of the game. It’s a demanding sport. Accidents happen.
“Really, there’s going to be something that puts you on the list in one way or another in just about every job.” Because you’re dinged up and beaten up, you could skip a practice here and there as a precaution,” he stated.
Rodgers taps into his inner child. Allen Iverson is a basketball player from the United States.
Despite his small stature of 6-foot-1, 165 pounds, Iverson was one of the most exciting players in NBA history.
His huge outburst about practice was perhaps the only thing more legendary than his wicked crossover.
The Boston Celtics eliminated Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers from the first round of the playoffs a year after they reached the NBA championships. Larry Brown, the 76ers’ head coach at the time, chastised Iverson for skipping practices after the team’s last defeat in the five-game series.
In a news conference, Iverson responded to Brown with one of the most spectacular rants in sports history.
“We’re sitting in here talking about practice, and I’m supposed to be the franchise player.” Listen, we’re talking about practice,” Iverson said. “This isn’t a game.” This isn’t a game. This isn’t a game. We’re discussing practice. This isn’t a game. Not the game for which I would die and play every game as if it were my last. This isn’t the game. “Man, we’re talking about practice.”
Rodgers also had something to say about practice, but it wasn’t quite as long or as vehement as Iverson’s tirade.
“Last year was incredible. I was overjoyed. This year, though, that is not the case; I am clearly missing a lot of practices. I’m not going to dismiss practice or dismiss its importance. It’s crucial, in my opinion. “I believe there are things that can be discussed and ironed out throughout the week by practicing and getting repetitions,” Rodgers said. “At the same time, I’m old enough, I’ve been in this league long enough, and I’ve played in enough games to know that I can go out and perform at a high level without training.”
Rodgers is back in contention for the MVP award.
(L-R) Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers and Allen Iverson of the NBA | Patrick McDermott/Getty Images; TOM MIHALEK/AFP via Getty Images
Despite missing several practices and even a game during the previous two weeks, Rodgers is still in the race for his fourth and second consecutive MVP award. With 3,771 yards and 34 touchdowns passing, Tom Brady is the clear favorite right now, but Rodgers still has a chance.
His command of the game is first and foremost. This season, Brady has thrown 10 interceptions, including three pick-sixes. Rodgers has thrown just four interceptions and has a 105.5 percent to 104.0 percent quarterback rating advantage over Brady.
There’s also the game Rodgers didn’t play in. While this affects him in terms of total metrics, and the MVP award is mostly dependent on stats, it did demonstrate to the NFL world how important Rodgers is to the Packers.
A normally explosive Green Bay defense only managed seven points in an ugly defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs with backup Jordan Love starting. Kansas City’s defense was among the poorest in the league at the time of the contest. Love and the Packers were still shut down.
Since the Packers last won a Super Bowl, maybe no player has been more important to the team than Rodgers. Sure, Green Bay would prefer that he practice as much as possible in the weeks leading up to a game, but if anybody can pull off such a dearth of preparation and yet make an offense work, it’s him.
ESPN and Pro Football Reference provided the statistics.
RELATED: Stephen A. Smith Explains What Separates Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, Making the Green Bay Packers the NFL’s “Most Complete” Team
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