NFL

Packers want Rodgers back: 'We're all on the same page'

By Sports Desk January 24, 2022

The Green Bay Packers' key decision-makers are united in their bid to bring Aaron Rodgers back next year, Matt LaFleur says.

Rodgers' future will again be debated after the Packers' season ended on Saturday with defeat to the San Francisco 49ers.

The 2020 NFL MVP pushed for a move away from Green Bay last year before eventually returning and enjoying another stellar campaign.

But the Super Bowl once again proved beyond Rodgers, who has not returned to the big game since the Packers' title triumph in February 2011.

Rodgers is 7-9 in the postseason in that time and, despite himself underwhelming in the loss to the 49ers, might now wonder if this team will ever get over the hump.

The Packers, for their part, want Rodgers to come back.

LaFleur confirmed on Monday his desire to have the QB return was shared by the rest of the organisation, despite the saga surrounding his future at the start of the season.

"Every conversation that I've been involved in with Gutey [Brian Gutekunst, general manager] and Russ [Ball, director of football operations] and Mark [Murphy, team president], we're all on the same page there," the coach said. "There's no debate."

LaFleur added of Rodgers: "I want to be respectful of his process, whatever he needs to go through to make the best decision for himself.

"And certainly we would love for him to be a Packer and be a Packer to the day he decides to retire."

Rodgers has played 213 games for the Packers, throwing 449 touchdown passes – ranking fifth all time in the NFL and first for Green Bay, ahead of Brett Favre (442).

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    Virgil van Dijk put Liverpool ahead after nodding home Kostas Tsimikas' corner prior to the break before Dominik Szoboszlai sealed victory in the 67th minute, slotting into the far corner from Cody Gakpo's cross after Milan gave up possession.

    Slot's first Champions League game at the helm of Liverpool ended in deserved victory, and it was a terrific response from his team after their shock 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.

    Data Debrief: Defensive delight for Reds

    With Konate and Van Dijk both on target, Liverpool had two defenders score in the same Champions League game for the first time.

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    "We have more than 11 players and the ones that came in did well. You wouldn't have said this after five minutes, but after we did well."

    Liverpool were rocked by an early-season Premier League blow on Saturday, falling down 1-0 to Nottingham Forest at Anfield in a shock result.

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    Those defensive performances at the other end of the pitch helped Liverpool to a fifth win in their last six away games against Italian sides in all competitions (L1), having won just three of their first 14 such visits (D3 L8).

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