Aaron Rodgers has asked rookie Green Bay Packers quarterback Sean Clifford for an update on his old locker that the 149 overall pick infamously took this offseason.
Rodgers, 39, finally left the franchise in a blockbuster trade on the eve of draft night and will be playing for the New York Jets for the foreseeable future. That move ended 18 straight seasons at Lambeau Field for the four-time MVP.
Jordan Love is in line to be starting for the Packers this upcoming season. However, they bolstered their depth at the quarterback position in the draft just days after Rodgers departed.
Clifford, whom they picked up in the fifth round out of Penn State, is set to backup Love. The rookie has already made a splash by selecting the number eight that Rodgers will wear in New York and moving into his old locker.
Aware of its new inhabitant, Rodgers has asked Clifford for an update. "Welcome to Green Bay," the veteran quarterback said in a surprise video message shown to the rookie by Fanatics. "How's my locker, by the way?"
In response, Clifford burst out laughing in shock at the quip. According to the sports apparel giant, Rodgers is the one person Clifford has been watching his whole life.
Before beginning the first practice of the offseason with his new team, the rookie addressed the elephant in the room. “Obviously, I understand who was in here before, and I respect everything about that", he said.
"At the same time, I came in, and I found my name on the plate, and I sat down. I'm doing whatever it takes to win games here. I’m very appreciative of the opportunity.
"Green Bay has a guy who's going to come in and give them their all, and I can promise that. I'm just trying to create my own legacy now and continue just to get better.”
Rodgers has been vocal in the weeks since leaving the only team he had ever known about how those final days with the franchise. In particular, he has rebutted criticisms about a lack of communication.
“Did Brian (Gutekunst, the Packers general manager) text me more than I texted him? Yeah, but did I ghost him? No. I texted him back," Rodgers told The Athletic in May. "There was back-and-forths that we had, and so this is the story you wanna go with?
"You’re gonna stand on this hill of austerity and say that arguably in the conversation of the best player in your franchise history, you’re gonna say I couldn’t get a hold of him, and that’s why we had to move on?
“Like, come on, man. Just tell the truth, you wanted to move on. You didn’t like the fact that we didn’t communicate all the time. Like, listen, I talk to the people that I like.”
