Unlike most franchise quarterbacks, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is involved in the NFL Players Association, as his team’s representative. But Rodgers, who has been vocal regarding his opposition to the proposed CBA, did not show up for the ongoing NFLPA meetings in Florida.
Per multiple sources, Rodgers isn’t there. And because Green Bay’s sole alternate rep, Mason Crosby, also isn’t there, the Packers have no vote in any of the various matters on which the board of player representatives has been and will be voting, including the next NFLPA president.
It’s unclear why Rodgers, who has described the lack of response by teammates to his email explaining the proposed CBA as “disheartening,” chose not to attend.
It is clear that he believes the current CBA should not be ratified, primarily because he believes that the union didn’t get enough in return for playing 17 games. Union leadership has concluded otherwise, which has led to heightened friction and acrimony among members of the Executive Committee and the board of player representatives regarding whether the deal should or should not be accepted.
Rodgers clearly has influence, via his Twitter platform of 4.4 million followers and his standing within the league. As one source explained it to PFT on Tuesday morning, it’s believed that many of the players who would like to change their vote (the board voted against allowing it) want to change from no to yes.
“The power of Twitter is amazing,” the source said. “The players who play for the minimum had no idea they were f–king themselves because J.J. [Watt] or [Rodgers] told them to [vote no].”
Plenty of young players have been, and still are, completely disengaged from the process. As another source has consistently explained it, plenty of players are simply “playing Xbox and smoking weed.”
As they smoke, the NFLPA potentially will burn — regardless of the outcome of the ongoing voting.