GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Packers fans are gearing up for an interesting weekend, as star quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be out after testing positive for COVID-19 this week.
Fans outside of Lambeau Field on Wednesday weren’t necessarily surprised that Rodgers came down with the virus.
“I’m shocked, but then again, I’m not,” said lifelong fan, Aleethea Willar of Howard. “I hope he mends quickly, but on the other hand it gives the new guys a chance to see what they can do.”
“Right now, it’s becoming more normal. There’s always a good chance that it’s going to happen. Everybody is just having to adapt week by week, game by game. Next man up, right? That’s what they say. I think everybody will rally around the new guy,” said Cris Coleman, a fan from Hanover, Pennsylvania. “[Wondering] where he got it, where he picked it up – what happened, and where it went wrong!”
“Really, it’s anybody’s own business what they’re doing with their body. COVID is a real thing, and whether you get [the vaccine] or not, that’s his choice. But it’s affecting what he’s doing today,” said Jim Ban of Sussex, Wisconsin. “It’s just another hiccup. But I think the Packers’ adage is ‘next guy up.’”
“It’s bound to happen at some point, especially with Davante out and the issues last week. Everybody’s going to get it in the organization, so it’s just a matter of time,” said Curtis Stark, a season ticketholder from Appleton. “With [Rodgers] out this week, it’ll be a little bit more of a challenge. But they’ll make it happen…It’s not shocking with Halloween weekend and everything, but obviously it’s a blow to our team. Show us some Love, I guess!”
That love is referring to Jordan Love. The second-year quarterback is set to make his first start in Kansas City on Sunday. The fans are excited to get a window to the possible future of the team, but remained cautiously optimistic.
“They have a shot, 50/50/50. I’m sure the guy’s good. You drafted him for this purpose, and I think he’ll do a good job,” Coleman told WTAQ News.
“He looked good in preseason, so I think it’s just going to be how much he’s developed and how much we can further our team. Let’s just get by in Kansas City. They’ve got their own struggles, so we’ve got to do what we can, right?” Stark said.
“The other guys are stepping up to the plate showing us what they can do. Love is our next quarterback, it’s his turn, so let’s see what he can do,” Willar said. “Anything can happen. As they say, it’s not over till the fat lady sings.”
“We’ll see what Jordan Love is made of…I don’t know what to expect. I mean, he did some clean up duty in the first game and he looked okay. So we’ll see what happens I guess,” Ban said. “We have a great coach, and he came up with a great gameplan [last week] and they stuck to it. So I think they’re going to adapt, make the appropriate changes, and hopefully they’ll come up with a great gameplan that’ll move them forward.”
Rodgers is expected to be out for at least ten days. The team is also expected to bring back Blake Bortles, who was on the roster over the summer until Rodgers arrived at camp, to serve as a backup for Love.
Veteran QB Blake Bortles is flying to Green Bay with the expectation he will sign to the Packers’ practice squad and be eligible for the 53-man roster Sunday, per source. Bortles was on the Packers’ roster this summer until Aaron Rodgers reported.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 3, 2021
