The Green Bay Packers are set for their first ever game outside the United States after the NFL announced its international schedule for 2022.

The Packers, who become the 32nd and final NFL team to head abroad, will play in London, as will the New Orleans Saints and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Elsewhere, the first Germany game will be hosted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Munich, while the Arizona Cardinals go to Mexico City.

"We are very excited to be staging five games outside the United States in 2022, and thank the owners for their continued commitment to growing the sport internationally," NFL executive vice president of club business and league events Peter O'Reilly said.

"Our fans in Germany, Mexico and the United Kingdom can look forward to seeing some of the most iconic names and biggest stars in the league and enjoying an incredible series of events."

The Packers had previously been reluctant to move games outside of the Green Bay area, but a new ruling agreed last year means every team is required to play abroad at least once every eight years.

That decision was part of the move to a 17-game season, which was implemented in 2021.

Opposing teams, dates and kick-off times for the Packers and the rest will be announced when the full 2022 schedule is confirmed later in the year.

Aaron Rodgers insisted he has not made a decision on his future despite a cryptic Instagram post on Monday that fuelled speculation around a potential exit from the Green Bay Packers.

Rodgers had the NFL universe abuzz again when he posted a thank you message to coaches, team-mates and ex-fiancee Shailene Woodley for the "last beautiful year".

However, speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers quickly dismissed any notion that post was related to a potential decision regarding leaving the Packers or retiring from the sport altogether.

"There will be no news today. No decision on my future," the NFL MVP said.

"I just got out of a 12-day Panchakarma [a cleansing ritual]. It's a cleanse that originated in India. It's something I've done in the offseason. No decision.

"There's nothing cryptic about gratitude... I was going through some pictures from the last year and felt an intense amount of gratitude for the life that I have and the lessons I've learned."

Rodgers hinted his future may be linked to the Packers' ability to retain the services of his top receiver and soon to be unrestricted free agent Davante Adams.

Tuesday marked the first day on which teams could apply the franchise tag to a pending free agent, with Adams a potential candidate to receive the tag from Green Bay.

"There's this one specific guy who's like the best guy in the league at what he does, wears 17. You might've heard of him," Rodgers added while speaking about the tag.

Relations between Rodgers and the Packers certainly appear more amiable than they were when reports emerged before the start of the 2021 NFL Draft that he wished to part with Green Bay.

Speaking of a seemingly more harmonious relationship with the team, Rodgers said of his exit interviews after the Packers' playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers: "I would say the meetings were much different than they've been in the past, in a positive way, and that there were some real, honest conversations that I appreciated."

After reporting for training camp following a stand-off with the Packers, Rodgers' 2021 campaign was partly defined by controversy after a positive coronavirus test revealed previous misleading statements about his vaccination status, while his spread of misinformation regarding vaccines has unquestionably damaged his reputation.

On the field, he helped the Packers to an NFL-best 13-4 record in 2021, finishing the regular season with 37 passing touchdowns to just four interceptions, giving him the best touchdown to interception ratio in the NFL. Among quarterbacks with 200 passing attempts, only Justin Herbert (2.30) threw a lower percentage of pickable passes than Rodgers (2.36).

No quarterback delivered more throws that resulted in a first down than Rodgers, who did so on 40.1 per cent of his attempts, while he was second in passer rating on third down (112.2) behind Kyler Murray (118.5) among quarterbacks with at least 50 attempts in that situation.

That stellar level of performance saw him win the MVP award for a second successive year and the fourth time overall. However, his play in the regular season did not translate into the postseason, with the Packers going one and done as they suffered a 13-10 Divisional Round upset at the hands of the 49ers.

Since Rodgers led the Packers to glory in Super Bowl XLV at the end of the 2010 season, they have reached the Divisional Round of the playoffs eight times but have never returned to the Super Bowl. He has provided little clarity over whether he will be back for another run at it with the Packers, but Rodgers' latest comments point to a stay in Green Bay in 2022 being more likely than it appeared at the start of last season.

It remains unclear whether Aaron Rodgers has played his last snap as a Green Bay Packer or on a football field, and he is clearly happy to let the NFL universe continue to do the guessing.

The four-time MVP fuelled speculation over his future on Monday with a cryptic Instagram post thanking team-mates including Randall Cobb and David Bakhtiari, coaches and his ex-fiancee Shailene Woodley for the experiences of "the last beautiful year".

Rodgers, who won the MVP award for the second successive season in 2021, wrote: "Here's some... #MondayNightGratitude for some of the incredibly special people in my life, with some pictures from the last beautiful year.

"@shailenewoodley, thanks for letting me chase after you the first couple months after we met, and finally letting me catch up to you and be a part of your life.

"Thanks for always having my back, for the incredible kindness you show me and everyone you meet, and for showing me what unconditional love looks like, I love you and am grateful for you.

"To the men I got to share the QB room with everyday, Matt [LaFleur], Nathaniel [Hackett], Luke [Getsy], @jordan3love and @kurtbenkert, you guys made every day so much fun and I’m so thankful for the daily laughs and stress relief you brought me every week of the year. I love you guys.

"To the Friday Crew, @aiydacobb, @rcobb18, @frankieshebby, and @davidbakhtiari, I loved every moment we got to spend together this year. Your love and support was overwhelming, and I cherish the friendships I have with each of you.

"To my team-mates, past and current, you are the icing on the beautiful cake we call our job; football. The friendships that we have will transcend our collective time in this game and I am so thankful for the role that each of you have played in making my life that much better. I love you guys, and cherish the memories we've made.

"To everyone else, spread love and gratitude you beautiful people, and read a book once in a while too while you’re at it. Love and peace."

It was reported before the opening round of the 2021 NFL Draft that Rodgers wished to part with the Packers. The subsequent stand-off and Rodgers' absence from their offseason activities cast a shadow over the Packers' pre-training camp preparations for the season.

After reporting for camp, Rodgers' 2021 campaign was partly defined by controversy after a positive coronavirus test revealed previous misleading statements about his vaccination status, while his spread of misinformation regarding vaccines has unquestionably damaged his reputation.

On the field, he helped the Packers to an NFL-best 13-4 record in 2021, finishing the regular season with 37 passing touchdowns to just four interceptions, giving him the best touchdown to interception ratio in the NFL. Among quarterbacks with 200 passing attempts, only Justin Herbert (2.30) threw a lower percentage of interceptable passes than Rodgers (2.36).

No quarterback delivered more throws that resulted in a first down than Rodgers, who did so on 40.1 per cent of his attempts, while he was second in passer rating on third down (112.2) behind Kyler Murray (118.5) among quarterbacks with at least 50 attempts in that situation.

His stellar play in the regular season did not translate into the postseason, with the Packers going one and done as they suffered a 13-10 Divisional Round upset at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers.

Since Rodgers led the Packers to glory in Super Bowl XLV at the end of the 2010 season, they have reached the Divisional Round of the playoffs eight times but have never returned to the Super Bowl.

The Green Bay Packers are set to appoint Tom Clements, who Aaron Rodgers has credited for his development during his early part of his career, as their new quarterbacks coach, according to reports.

Rodgers is expected to make a decision soon on his Packers future after winning his fourth NFL MVP award and second in a row.

He seemed set to leave the Packers as the reigning MVP last year as he pushed for a move, and that scenario could yet play out after the quarterback won again for 2021.

However, the 38-year-old does not intend for another saga to follow this offseason, and bringing Clements out of retirement will inevitably be seen as an effort from Green Bay to convince Rodgers to return.

According to ESPN, Clements verbally accepted the job on Thursday, though his contract is yet to be signed.

The 68-year-old was previously with the Packers from 2006 to 2016. His most recent job was with the Arizona Cardinals, before his retirement in 2020.

Clements was QB coach for Rodgers in the Super Bowl season of 2010 and his first MVP season of 2011, before becoming offensive coordinator in 2012.

Rodgers often refers to Clements as an inspiration, and mentioned him after throwing to Davante Adams in the Week 17 victory against the Minnesota Vikings.

"I learned from Tom Clements, we always had three mortal sins [as] the quarterback: Don't throw late down the middle, don't make any blind throws and no premeditated decisions," Rodgers said after the 37-10 win last month.

"And so with all apologies to Tom and his excellent training over the years, I kind of had a premeditated decision to throw it to Davante on that play."

Regarding his future, Rodgers recently said: "I'll make a decision in due time and not a ton of time. I'll give the team plenty of time to do what they got to do.

"And I think that time is coming. There will be a decision in the near future. And I'm not going to keep a lot of people waiting."

Aaron Rodgers will soon make a decision on his Green Bay Packers future after winning his fourth NFL MVP award and second in a row.

Rodgers seemed set to leave the Packers as the reigning MVP last year as he pushed for a move – and that scenario could yet play out after the quarterback won again for 2021.

But the 38-year-old does not intend for another saga to follow this offseason.

While there is no guarantee Rodgers will be returning to Green Bay, he at least plans to make a prompt call.

Speaking after his MVP recognition, the controversial QB – in the spotlight this season for his vaccine status as well as his future plans – said: "I have not made any decision yet."

Rodgers added: "I'll make a decision in due time and not a ton of time. I'll give the team plenty of time to do what they got to do.

"And I think that time is coming. There will be a decision in the near future. And I'm not going to keep a lot of people waiting."

Fellow great Tom Brady has retired since exiting the playoffs, like Rodgers, in the NFC Divisional Round.

After losing to the sixth-seeded San Francisco 49ers, the possibility of a similar decision remains for Rodgers.

"I talked at length at various times about being comfortable walking away and just not playing," he said. "And I don't want to create more questions than I probably already have, but I don't fear retirement and I don't fear moving on.

"I'm very proud of what I've accomplished, proud that I've accomplished it in Green Bay over the last 17 years, and I'm excited about the future, whatever that ends up being or looking like.

"I'm also still highly competitive and still a bitter taste from the Divisional game. So [there is] definitely a lot to weigh."

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been named as the NFL MVP for the fourth time in his glittering career.

Rodgers was confirmed as the MVP for the second successive season at the NFL Honours ceremony in Los Angeles on Thursday. He was not in attendance, choosing instead to spend his week playing golf at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. 

He becomes the first player to win back-to-back MVPs since Peyton Manning achieved the feat in 2009.

It follows another hugely impressive season for Rodgers, one which saw him lead the Packers to an NFL-best 13-4 record and the top seed in the NFC.

However, the season ended in more playoff disappointment for Rodgers as the Packers were upset by the sixth-seeded San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round of the postseason.

That prompted more speculation about his future, Rodgers having entered 2021 after a tumultuous offseason in which made clear a desire to part with the Packers and skipped their pre-training camp preparations.

Despite his play on the field, Rodgers' 2021 campaign was partly defined by controversy after a positive coronavirus test revealed misleading statements about his vaccination status, while his continued spread of misinformation regarding vaccines has unquestionably damaged his reputation.

His on-field play still draws admiration, however. Rodgers finished the regular season with 37 passing touchdowns to just four interceptions, giving him the best touchdown to interception ratio in the NFL. Among quarterbacks with 200 passing attempts, only Justin Herbert (2.30) threw a lower percentage of interceptable passes than Rodgers (2.36).

No quarterback delivered more throws that resulted in a first down than Rodgers, who did so on 40.1 per cent of his attempts, while he was second in passer rating on third down (112.2) behind Kyler Murray (118.5) among quarterbacks with at least 50 attempts in that situation.

The combination of his continued brilliance and apparently more amiable relations with the franchise hierarchy may lead to Rodgers staying in Green Bay for at least one more year despite the disappointing finish, the Packers still likely his best hope of adding a second Lombardi Trophy to his growing collection of MVPs.

The Denver Broncos are to appoint Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett as their new head coach, according to reports.

The Broncos parted company with previous head coach Vic Fangio at the end of the 2021 NFL regular season, in which the team had a 7-10 record.

Fangio – who had been in position for the last three seasons – achieved a 19-30 record during his time with the franchise, failing to reach the playoffs throughout his tenure.

Other figures interviewed by the Broncos for the role were Eric Bieniemy from the Kansas City Chiefs, Brian Callahan from the Cincinnati Bengals, Jonathan Gannon from the Philadelphia Eagles, Luke Getsy from the Packers, Aaron Glenn from the Detroit Lions, Jerod Mayo from the New England Patriots, Kevin O'Connell of the Los Angeles Rams, and Kellen Moore and Dan Quinn from the Dallas Cowboys.

Hackett, who is the son of former NFL coach Paul Hackett, has been offensive coordinator at the Packers for the past three seasons. Green Bay's offense ranked first in the league in scoring and fifth in yards in the 2020 season, although they regressed to 10th in both categories this year.

Hackett is also a former playcaller for both the Buffalo Bills and the Jaguars.

The news will likely increase speculation that the Broncos could make a sensational play to bring superstar Green Bay duo Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams to Denver.

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).

Kyle Shanahan had an inkling that the San Francisco 49ers' special teams would prove pivotal in their shock divisional round win over the Green Bay Packers.

The 49ers gained seven points on special teams and saved three on a night where Robbie Gould's walk-off field goal earned a 13-10 triumph to send San Francisco to the NFC Championship Game.

Green Bay had led for most of the game after AJ Dillon's first-quarter touchdown but the 49ers drew level late when Jordan Willis blocked Corey Bojorquez's punt allowing Talanoa Hufanga to collect the loose ball and run into the end-zone.

The 49ers regained possession with 3:25 to play, with the excellent Deebo Samuel helping drive them into field-goal range before 39-year-old Gould nailed his 45-yard attempt on the final whistle.

"We thought our special teams had an advantage in this game," head coach Shanahan said. 

"We thought they had an opportunity to possibly win us the game. And to be able to say that and to actually come to fruition was huge for those guys and huge for our team."

Gould, who has now succeeded with each of his 20 career playoff field-goal attempts, ensured his boot stayed hot in snowy conditions at Lambeau Field and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo paid tribute to his team-mate, with a little pun thrown in for good measure.

"I always trust Robbie. He's as good as gold, man. He always is," he said.

Garoppolo added: "It's dangerous, man. When a team gets hot, it's dangerous.

"So we've just got to keep this thing going, focus on next week now, and keep this thing rolling.

"It took everything. We knew it was going to. I mean, it was just offense, defense, special teams - everybody stepping up and doing their part. I wouldn't have it any other way."

The stars certainly seemed to align for the 49ers, who lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV, with Jimmie Ward having earlier blocked a 39-yard field goal attempt from Mason Crosby on the final play of the first half. Had he made the kick the Packers would have led 10-0.

Victory means the 49ers are headed to their 17th conference championship appearance, the most for any team since the conferences were forged following the 1970 merger.

With the Cincinnati Bengals having beaten the Tennessee Titans earlier in the day, it also meant it was the first time since 2010 both number one seeds lost in the divisional round in the same season.

George Kittle said the 49ers proved they are a "gritty" team to make it this far.

"This team has been through a lot," the tight end said. "We've been through a lot of adversity. 

"We've dealt with a lot. We've lost games by making mistakes. We've won games dirty. This is a gritty team. It's a salty team, and we just keep bouncing back."

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has offered a hint on his future after admitting he does not want to be part of a rebuild.

The top-seeded Packers were eliminated from the NFL playoffs on Saturday after a 13-10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, with Rodgers failing to throw a touchdown pass.

The 38-year-old MVP contender nearly departed Green Bay last off-season and was pressed on his future following Saturday's elimination.

Rodgers has been with the Packers for 14 seasons for one Super Bowl and is under contract for next season.

"I don’t want to be a part of a rebuild if I’m going to keep playing so a lot of decisions in the next couple of months,” Rodgers said during the post-game press conference.

"I‘m gonna take some time and have conversations with the folks around here, and then take some time away and make a decision - obviously before free agency.

"It’s fresh right now. It’s a little shocking for sure… I haven’t even let the moment sink in yet."

He added: "There's a lot of players whose futures are up in the air, so definitely will be interesting to see which way some of those decisions will go.

"But I'll have the conversations with [Packers general manager] Brian [Gutekunst] in the next week or so and get a little bit more clarity and think about my own future and how much longer I want to keep doing this.

“I think this thing is definitely going to look different in Green Bay moving forward."

Rodgers conceded he would need to mull the "tough decision" but said he was still competitive and determined to play at the highest level.

Packers head coach Aaron LeFleur put his pitch forward, insisting he wants Rodgers to stay. The veteran QB had an outstanding season, with a 68.9 percent completion rate, throwing 4115 yards for 37 touchdowns with only four interceptions.

"Certainly, we want him back here," LaFleur told reporters about Rodgers. "We‘d be crazy to not want him back here.

“He’s going to be the two-time MVP. This guy does so much for our football team. Not only what you guys see on Sundays or every game day, but what he does in that locker room and how he leads.

“I know what he puts into this thing and I’m certainly extremely disappointed that we couldn’t get over the hump for not only him, but for everybody in that locker room.”

The Green Bay Packers had a special teams' nightmare before Robbie Gould's final-whistle field goal clinched the San Francisco 49ers a spot in the NFC Championship Game with a 13-10 win in snowy conditions at Lambeau Field on Saturday.

The Packers had led for most of the game after AJ Dillon's first-quarter touchdown but the 49ers drew level late when Jordan Willis blocked Corey Bojorquez's punt allowing Talanoa Hufanga to collect the loose ball and run into the end-zone.

The 49ers regained possession with 3:25 to play, with Deebo Samuel helping drive them into field-goal range before 39-year-old Gould nailed his 45-yard attempt on the final whistle.

Samuel had 10 carries for 39 yards along with three catches for 44 yards and two kick returns for 59 yards, while 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo completed 11 of 19 passes for 131 yards with one interception.

San Francisco will face either the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game, while it is season over for Aaron Rodgers' Packers.

Rodgers completed 20 of 29 passes for 225 yards but with no touchdowns, with running back Dillon scored their TD after a 10-play drive.

The Packers might have led 10-0 at the main break after Adrian Amos' pick, with Rodgers finding Aaron Jones for 75 yards although his run was curtailed. In the same drive, Green Bay kicker Mason Crosby had his 39-yard attempt blocked by Jimmie Ward on the half-time whistle.

The 49ers got on the board with Gould's third-quarter field goal, before the late drama with the veteran sealing their passage into the NFC Championship Game.

Jimmy Garoppolo appears set to be available for Saturday's NFC divisional round clash with the Green Bay Packers despite an injury scare, according to San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan.

The 49ers quarterback was not listed on the franchise's injury report on Thursday and is expected to play through a sprained right shoulder and thumb.

San Francisco had more good news with linebacker Fred Warner also not on the injury report after a sprained right ankle while defensive end Nick Bosa is close to clearing concussion protocols to mark his return.

"He threw the ball great. He's looked as good as he did the week before," Shanahan said about Garoppolo.

"Jimmy's been playing through some things. But that's why he's full go because he's good enough to go and we don't treat it any differently."

Garoppolo had been added to the 49ers injury report on Monday with Shanahan revealing he had a "slightly" sprained throwing shoulder from the 23-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys.

The QB offered no guarantees on Tuesday and was limited in practice that day but was listed as a full participant on Wednesday and Thursday.

"It's playoff football," Garoppolo said earlier in the week. "We know what time it is and there ain't no time to rest right now."

The San Francisco 49ers prevailed in the Wild Card round as they renewed a storied rivalry with the Dallas Cowboys. Now, they will be underdogs again as they lock horns with a postseason foe more familiar to them in recent years.

While the Niners' 23-17 upset win over the Cowboys was the first postseason meeting between the two teams since the 1994 campaign, playoff clashes between San Francisco and the Green Bay Packers have been more habitual of late.

Green Bay and the 49ers have faced off in the postseason in every decade since their first playoff meeting in the 1995 campaign, last doing so on January 19, 2020 when San Francisco won a 37-20 rout in the NFC Championship Game.

That scoreline carried on a trend in this matchup. The 49ers and Packers have split their eight all-time meetings in the postseason, but the Niners have won each of the last three. In those three games, they have outscored Green Bay by an average of 11.3 points (35.0-23.7). 

Saturday's game at Lambeau Field is expected to be much closer, with most backing the top-seeded Packers to turn the tide.

Green Bay won the Week 3 matchup at Levi's Stadium, though the Packers needed a last-gasp field goal from Mason Crosby, following some vintage Aaron Rodgers heroics, to avoid defeat.

Rodgers is the favourite to retain the NFL's MVP award and enters this game in blistering form. 

He has thrown for multiple touchdowns and no interceptions in each of his last seven games, the second-longest such streak in NFL history (Tom Brady, nine straight in 2010).

The three-time MVP threw 37 touchdowns and just four picks this season, the most passing touchdowns with four interceptions or fewer in a single season all-time. 

Yet Rodgers is going against a Niners defense playing its best football of the season. San Francisco held the Cowboys' number one-ranked offense (407 yards per game) to 307 total yards, with Dak Prescott completing only 53.5 per cent of his passes as he was pressured more than any other quarterback in the Wild Card round, coming under duress 25 times.

San Francisco's deep defensive front would appear to have the edge this weekend, too. The 49ers' finished the regular season ranked first in Stats Perform's pass rush win rate metric - boasting a win rate of 32.6 per cent - while the Packers were 23rd with a pass protection win rate of 72.6 per cent.

The Packers will hope the potential return of left tackle David Bakhtiari can redress the balance but if it does not then the contest could tilt in the favour of San Francisco. When under pressure this season, Rodgers completed 49.6 per cent of his passes. Among quarterbacks with at least 100 attempts under duress, the only two to fare worse were rookies Zach Wilson (41.7 per cent) and Trevor Lawrence (45.7 per cent).

If the Niners pressure Rodgers and get the Packers behind the chains and playing catchup on the scoreboard, then they will look to control the clock by keeping the ball on the ground with All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel and rookie running back Elijah Mitchell.

Samuel scored the first rushing touchdown by a 49ers receiver in postseason history to put San Francisco 23-7 ahead against the Cowboys, while his 72 yards on the ground were the most in the playoffs by any wideout in the Super Bowl era.

Mitchell rushed for 96 yards last weekend, a 49ers rookie playoff record. The Niners are 7-1 when Mitchell rushes for at least 75 yards this season and 1-3 when he plays and does not.

A long night may be in store for the 49ers and their secondary should Rodgers stay on schedule, and that could mean history for his favourite target, Davante Adams.

Adams has had exactly nine receptions in each of his last three playoff games. That is tied for the longest streak of postseason games with nine-plus catches in NFL history (Julian Edelman, 2015-2016).

With at least nine catches in four of his five games against San Francisco (regular and postseason), he is a strong bet to break that record. Adams failing to do so would be a major indicator of Green Bay suffering another nightmare against a team that has continually haunted them in the playoffs.

The Green Bay Packers have activated All-Pro corner Jaire Alexander from the reserve/COVID-19 list, but he is not expected to play in their regular-season finale.

Alexander, who was named to the Pro Bowl and earned second-team All-Pro honours last season, has not played since the Packers' Week 4 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers when he suffered a shoulder injury.

He was activated from injured reserve last week but did not play as the Packers claimed the top seed in the NFC playoffs with a blowout win over the Minnesota Vikings and was on Monday placed on the COVID-19 list.

Despite coming off the list on Friday, head coach Matt LaFleur does not foresee Alexander playing in a meaningless game against the Detroit Lions.

"I would not anticipate Jaire playing. Just only having the one day [of practice] this week, I don't want to put him out there," LaFleur said.

However, quarterback and MVP favourite Aaron Rodgers will play at least some of the game at Ford Field ahead of the Packers' first-round bye.

Confirming Rodgers will start, LaFleur said: "I don't think he needs to play. I think he wants to play and keep the momentum going."

Aaron Rodgers hit back at an NFL MVP voter who said he would not cast his ballot for the Green Bay Packers quarterback, calling the reporter in question "a bum".

Rodgers has experienced a superb but controversial campaign, leading the Packers to the number one seed in the NFC but attracting significant criticism for appearing to mislead reporters regarding his vaccination status.

He tested positive for coronavirus and was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list in November for 10 days, as league rules dictate for unvaccinated players, forcing him to miss the Packers' Week 9 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs. Rodgers had said back in August that he was "immunised".

Rodgers clarified that his immunisation comments referred to a homeopathic treatment he received. He applied for an exemption from the rules for unvaccinated players but saw his request rejected by the NFL and NFLPA.

The three-time MVP subsequently criticised the league's coronavirus protocols and has courted controversy with his comments regarding vaccines.

In an interview on Tuesday, MVP voter Hub Arkush told 670 The Score: "I don't think you can be the biggest jerk in the league and punish your team, and your organisation and your fanbase the way he did and be the Most Valuable Player.

"Has he been the most valuable on the field? Yeah, you could make that argument, but I don't think he is clearly that much more valuable than Jonathan Taylor or Cooper Kupp or maybe even Tom Brady. So from where I sit, the rest of it is why he's not gonna be my choice."

Responding in a media conference on Wednesday, Rodgers said of Arkush: "I think he's a bum. I think he's an absolute bum. He doesn't know me. I don't know who he is. No one knew who he was, probably, until yesterday's comments. And I listened to the comments.

"But to say he had his mind made up in the summertime, in the offseason that I had zero chance of winning MVP – in my opinion, that should exclude [him from] future votes.

"His problem isn't with me being a 'bad guy' or 'the biggest jerk in the league' – because he doesn't know me. He doesn't know anything about me. I've never met him. I've never had lunch with him. I've never had an interview with him.

"His problem is I'm not vaccinated. So if he wants to go on a crusade and collude and come up with an extra letter to put on the award just for this season and make it the 'Most Valuable Vaccinated Player,' then he should do that.

"But he's a bum. And I'm not going to waste any time worrying about that stuff. He has no idea who I am. He's never talked to me in his life. But it's unfortunate that those sentiments – it's surprising that he would even say that, to be honest. But I knew this was possible."