Whether or not Aaron Rodgers reports to Green Bay Packers training camp on time this week, there's a strong possibility he returns under center before the regular season begins.
According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, Rodgers has told people close to him that he plans on playing for the Packers in 2021, indicating that his long-reported problems with the organization might soon be resolved.
"Neither one of us thought that Rodgers was going to sit out the season," Tierney said during Monday's edition of the Tiki and Tierney show. "I thought there was a decent chance that Rodgers, just the way he's wired -- maybe a little spite-ish, if you will -- would skip a couple of days. Just send one more little jab, one more little message and then come and get ready to ball. But it looks like he's showing up on time...
"What's going to be interesting is -- again, the way he's wired, you have to incorporate this -- that first little outward miscommunication with [head coach Matt] LaFleur, that's going to be played up on the sideline... the first bad loss. Just because it looks as if Rodgers is showing and getting ready to strap up and play some football, doesn't mean this year's going to be without drama."
Rodgers, the reigning league MVP, reportedly declined a record-breaking contract extension offered by the Packers earlier this offseason. The deal would've tied him to the franchise for another five seasons, and made him the highest-paid quarterback in the league.
In 16 games last season, Rodgers completed a career-high 70.7-percent of his passes for 4,299 yards with 48 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also set three NFL records -- including the most games (10) with a passer rating over 120.0 in a season -- and led Green Bay to an NFC title game appearance.
"No matter what happens, [the drama] is going to be the undercurrent of this entire season. Even if they win a championship, it's still going to be a part of the storyline," Tiki said. "There's no way we're going into this 2021 season -- and say they go deep into the postseason and even get to the Super Bowl -- and this little piece of offseason is not part of the story, whether it was galvanizing and lifting in some regard or divisive and they fell apart..."
Green Bay, which opens the regular season against the Saints in New Orleans on Sept. 12, is currently the favorite (-130) to win the NFC North, according to the William Hill Sportsbook. The team also has the third-best odds (+650) to win the conference.
The entire Rodgers-Packers conversation between Tiki and Tierney can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow the Tiki and Tierney Show on Twitter @TikiAndTierney and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.