(11) Wisconsin 66, Minnesota 60: Last word
MADISON -- No. 11 Wisconsin moved back into a tie for first place in the Big Ten with a 66-60 win over Minnesota on Sunday at the Kohl Center.
Player of the Game: Johnny Davis
The National Player of the Year contender came alive offensively just when the Badgers needed it most. After Minnesota tied things up at 60 with 2:23 left, Davis outscored the Gophers 6-0 to close the game out. His stretch included a driving layup to take the lead, an offensive rebound that eventually led to a made free throw, a make just outside the lane and coming up with a loose ball on defense and getting fouled.
"He's the best player in the country," guard Brad Davison said. "I don't know if it's a safety net or just being really good basketball, but we'll take it."
Davis ended up with 16 points and a career-high 15 rebounds, but it was the finishing kick that everyone will remember.
https://twitter.com/WisconsinOnBTN/status/1487876570526072833
The good: Winning when it matters
Wisconsin continues to find ways to win close game. The Badgers are now 10-1 in games decided by six points or fewer and 10-0 when Davis plays in the game.
“I think they understand the importance of every possession, they don't panic. They listen and execute coming out of timeouts really well,” coach Greg Gard said when asked why his team has been so good in tight games. “And obviously you have to have good players. Today we put the ball in Johnny's hands and he made plays for us.”
The not so good: Not putting it away
The Badgers are in so many close games because they refuse to put teams away. More than half of their 17 wins have come by six points or fewer and Sunday’s certainly shouldn’t have been that close. Wisconsin took a 9-point lead with 6:18 left and then proceeded to turn it over and then miss the next four shots it took. That allowed Minnesota to climb right back in and turn what could have been a comfortable win into another one that forced Badgers fans to hold their breaths.
Stat of the Game: 4
That’s how many Wisconsin players were in double figures, as Tyler Wahl (15), Davison (14) and Steven Crowl (11) joined Davis. With the Badgers not getting much from the bench scoring-wise (5 points), the continued production from the starting lineup was much needed.
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In Case You Missed It
-- Wisconsin honored Davison prior to the game for breaking the school’s all-time record for 3-pointers made.
https://twitter.com/BadgerMBB/status/1487865519151665161
-- The national champion women’s volleyball team attended the game and was recognized during a timeout in the first half.
https://twitter.com/ZachHeilprin/status/1487852911677820928
-- Wisconsin is reportedly in the mix to land Oklahoma transfer quarterback Caleb Williams. The UW student section made sure to make their feelings known with signs and chants during the game.
https://twitter.com/ZachHeilprin/status/1487864583629021190
https://twitter.com/ZachHeilprin/status/1487870170785894400
-- The win moved Wisconsin into a tie with Illinois for first place in the Big Ten at the midway point of the conference season. It also tied the all-time series with Minnesota at 104-104. The Badgers are 28-8 against the Gophers since the Bo Ryan/Greg Gard era began in 2001.
What’s next?
Wisconsin (17-3, 8-2) travels to face the Illini (15-5, 8-2) on Wednesday night.
Packers promoting from within to fill offensive coordinator vacancy
Matt LaFleur told reporters last week that he would "absolutely" be hiring from within if offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett was hired elsewhere as a head coach. The Green Bay Packers coach reportedly followed through on that statement by promoting offensive line coach/run-game coordinator Adam Stenavich to be Hackett's replacement.
https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1487618089781014532
Stenavich has been with the team since 2019 and overseen the development of Pro Bowl guard Elgton Jenkins, starters Josh Myers, Jon Runyan Jr. and Lucas Patrick, along with key backups like Yosh Nijman. He also navigated a very difficult 2021 as All-Pro David Bakhtiari missed nearly the entire season, Myers went down with a knee injury that kept him off the field for 11 games and he lost Jenkins for the season to a torn ACL on Nov. 21.
Hackett, who was introduced as the new Denver Broncos head coach Friday, requested to interview Stenavich for their offensive coordinator position but the Packers declined. It proved to be a pretty good hint at their intentions for the 38-year-old.
Stenavich is a Wisconsin native and played his college ball at Michigan.
The move to promote Stenavich came on the same day that quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator Luke Getsy was hired as the new offensive coordinator with Chicago.
Badgers make hire of Bobby Engram official
Wisconsin has its new offensive coordinator.
UW confirmed to multiple outlets the Badgers have brought in Baltimore tight ends coach Bobby Engram to take on the role held officially by no one in 2021 and previously by Joe Rudolph from 2015 to 2020. Engram's contract was approved Friday.
The 49-year-old has a connection to coach Paul Chryst, having served as the wide receivers coach under Chryst at Pittsburgh in 2012 and 2013. He then left to lead the Ravens wide receivers for five seasons before taking over the tight ends in 2019.
Baltimore boasted one of the best tight ends in the NFL in 2021 with Mark Andrews. In his fourth year, including third with Engram as his coach, he posted a Ravens record for yards with 1,361 and catches with 107. He added nine touchdowns, giving him 29 in his career.
Wisconsin also has a familiar face for Engram on the roster with his son, Dean. As a sophomore, he played a vital role for the top defense in the country. The younger Engram was the Badgers nickel back, finishing with 20 tackles, one interception and three passes defended.
Prior to going into coaching, Bobby Engram played in the NFL for 14 seasons with Seattle, Chicago and Kansas City. He caught 650 passes for 7,751 yards and 35 touchdowns. That came after a college career at Penn State that saw him win the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's best wide receiver.
It's unclear what position Engram will coach in addition to being the offensive coordinator. Wisconsin already has a wide receivers in Alvis Whitted and a tight ends coach in Mickey Turner, while it is moving inside linebackers coach Bob Bostad to replace Rudolph as the offensive line coach. Running backs coach Gary Brown missed the bowl game due to an illness and his status moving forward is up in the air.
Another significant question is whether Engram will call the plays. It's something he's never done in his coaching career, while between Chryst's time as offensive coordinator at Wisconsin (2005-2011), head coach at Pittsburgh (2012-2014) and head coach with the Badgers (2015-present) he has done it every year but one (2020).
Badgers add first commitment in 2023 class
Wisconsin has added its first commitment in the class of 2023 on Friday.
Three-star linebacker Tyler Jansey (Batavia, Ill.) announced his decision on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/TylerJansey/status/1487167871469903876
The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Jansey is ranked as the 12th-best player in the state of Illinois and the 47th-best linebacker in the country, according to 247Sports.
Jansey's other scholarship offers included those from Toledo, Eastern Michigan, Miami (OH) and New Mexico State.
https://youtu.be/hSquJJR4oXE
(11) Wisconsin 73, Nebraska 65: Last word
No. 11 Wisconsin got a big scoring night from Brad Davison and held off Nebraska to get a 73-65 win Thursday night in Lincoln.
Player of the Game: Brad Davison
There is something about playing in Nebraska that brings out the best in Davison, especially when it comes to shooting from the outside. The senior went 5-for-8 on 3-pointers to lead Wisconsin with 23 points. In five games in Lincoln, Davison finished 19-for-38 (50%) from deep. His third 3-pointer of the night gave him 371 for his career, which set a new Wisconsin record for the most in school history formerly held by Bronson Koenig.
He added seven rebounds, a team-high four assists and tied a season-high with three steals.
The good: Ben Carlson
The sophomore forward has struggled to find his footing this year but has now turned in a couple solid efforts in back-to-back games. After posting six points and two rebounds in a start against Michigan State, Carlson had six points and five rebounds against the Huskers. Four of those rebounds came on the offensive end where he also seemed to be playing with more confidence.
A major add in Wisconsin’s 2020 recruiting class, getting increased production from Carlson and other members of the bench are crucial to the Badgers future prospects.
The not so good: 2-point shooting
Wisconsin was dreadful from inside the 3-point line. They hit just 32.6% of their 2-point shots and were an ugly 10-for-20 on layups. That included a 3-for-10 effort in the first half.
Stat of the Game: 45.5
That is what Wisconsin shot from beyond the arc. The Badgers went 10-for-22 on the night, including 9-for-14 in the first half. It was the fourth straight game where Wisconsin shot above 40% on 3-pointers after doing it just three times in the first 15 games.
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In Case You Missed It
-- The game was originally scheduled to be played Tuesday but a COVID-19 related pause within the Nebraska program forced it to be pushed back to Thursday. It also had a unique 4 p.m. start time due to the Wisconsin women's team facing the Nebraska women at 8 p.m. in Lincoln.
-- Chucky Hepburn made his return to the state where he starred as a prep. The point guard hit Wisconsin’s first 3-pointer of the game and finished with 13 points. He was playing with a heavy heart just days after a close friend, Vincent Burns, was shot and killed in Omaha. Hepburn will stay in Nebraska for the funeral.
https://twitter.com/BadgerMBB/status/1486856584194048002
-- After missing Friday’s loss to Michigan State with an ankle injury, Tyler Wahl made his return to the court for the Badgers. He came in averaging close to 30 minutes of action per game but played just 22 against the Huskers. The junior looked a little rusty, finishing just 1-for-5 from the field and turning it over three times. He did lead the team with 10 rebounds.
-- Johnny Davis scored a season-low 13 points (5-for-12 FGs), all in the second half. He did add nine rebounds and a couple assists.
-- The Badgers moved to 7-2 in Big Ten play, pushing them into a tie for first with Illinois. Wisconsin is also 4-1 away from the Kohl Center.
What’s next?
Wisconsin (16-3, 7-2) will host Minnesota (11-5, 2-5) on Sunday in Madison.
Packers OC Nathaniel Hackett reportedly hired as new Denver head coach
The Green Bay Packers will have a new offensive coordinator in 2022.
Nathaniel Hackett, who had held that position under coach Matt LaFleur for the last three years, was hired Thursday as the new head coach with the Denver Broncos.
The news was first reported by the NFL Network.
Hackett was a sought after head coaching candidate. He interviewed with multiple teams, including the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears. The 42-year-old has been in the NFL for all but three years since 2006. That included stints as the offensive coordinator with the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars before coming to Green Bay in 2019.
The move is likely to increase chatter around the future of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. He and Hackett are close, with the former saying last season that "nobody in the building brings me more joy or is more fun" than the latter. Rodgers went on to say "I hope he doesn't go anywhere...unless I do."
Denver reportedly pursued Rodgers last offseason when there was discord between the quarterback and the Packers front office. The Broncos roster is filled with talent but they've struggled to find a quarterback since Peyton Manning retired following the 2015 season. Last year's team was led by Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock. That duo combined for 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Rodgers is expected to make a decision on his future within the next month. He has said all options are all on the table -- returning to Green Bay on a new contract, working out a trade with another team or retiring.
LaFleur told reporters Monday that if Hackett got a head coaching position, he planned to promote from within. The most likely replacement would be quarterbacks coach Luke Getsy. He interviewed for the Denver job as well and has been Green Bay's passing game coordinator the last two seasons. The 37-year-old is also very close to Rodgers.
Badgers: Tyler Wahl still battling ankle injury, status for Nebraska game uncertain
Wisconsin could be without Tyler Wahl for a second straight game when the Badgers face Nebraska on Thursday night.
The junior forward suffered an ankle injury last Tuesday in a win at Northwestern. He was able to finish that game, but then missed Wisconsin's loss Friday against Michigan State. Wahl hasn't practiced this week but coach Greg Gard believes he is making progress.
"He's done a little more each day, but we don't know yet where it'll be yet on Thursday," Gard said. "We'll see how he feels the next day from what he's done the previous day.
"We've got a couple days here to help him continue to get better."
Wahl's absence was felt on both ends of the court against the Spartans. The Badgers struggled to score in the paint and had no one to match up with Malik Hall on the defensive end. What Wahl provides just can't be duplicated with what Wisconsin has in its front court right now.
"You look at what Tyler gives us, he brings a lot to the table," Gard said. "Arguably our best low post player offensively, arguably our best defensive player in the low post, the versatility he brings, he can guard one through four or five, he could get you a double double any night and he's been playing so well. That's the thing, you are not going to replace that. You are not going to put Tyler's experience of three years into somebody that's got a year or less experience."
Gard worked sophomores Ben Carlson and Carter Gilmore in Wahl's place and the results were mixed at best. Both struggled in the first half against Michigan State, though Carlson did provide some solid minutes in the second. The Minnesota native is still trying to catch up after missing most of his freshman season with a back injury and then dealing with an illness and COVID-19 this season.
"Ben's practice pretty well the last couple days. Hopefully, maybe this timeout for Tyler, so to speak, as he gets healthy, has been helping Ben because he's gotten a higher volume of reps," Gard said. "I thought he did some good things in the game Friday night. He's got a long ways to go, but I think the potential is there for Ben to become a really good player."
Wisconsin and Nebraska are scheduled to tip at 4 p.m. CT on Thursday in Lincoln.
Packers: LaFleur wants Rodgers to 'be a Packer until the day he decides to retire'
Two days removed from a stunning playoff loss to end his third year as coach of the Green Bay Packers, Matt LaFleur addressed reporters for the final time this season. It was a press conference dominated by the future of quarterback Aaron Rodgers and what that situation would mean for the franchise moving forward. LaFleur made clear that those within 1265 Lombardi Ave. want the soon-to-be 4-time NFL MVP back in 2022.
"Every conversation I've been involved in with (GM Brian Gutekunst) and (team vice president) Russ (Ball) and (team president) Mark Murphy, we're all we're all on the same page here," LaFleur on wanting Rodgers back. "There's no debate."
Rodgers said after the game Saturday that he intends to make a decision before free agency begins in early March. With the Packers in rough shape salary cap wise -- currently more than $44 million above it -- the options seem to be return to Green Bay on a contract extension that significantly lowers his salary cap number for 2022, have the Packers work a trade with another team or retire.
Plenty will go into that decision but playing the biggest role could be how the Packers decide to deal with all the other veteran players that are either unrestricted free agents or potential salary cap casualties. That includes the likes of Davante Adams, De'Vondre Campbell, Robert Tonyan, Za'Darius Smith, Billy Turner, Preston Smith, Dean Lowry and more. Rodgers made clear he does not want to be playing for a team in a rebuilding situation and LaFleur understands the only way for the quarterback to return for an 18th year in Green Bay is if they can assure him that won't be the case.
"No, there's no plan for a rebuild," LaFleur said. "When you get this close, obviously, we’ve won a lot of football games. “We know in order for there not to be that (rebuild) he’s got to be a part of this thing, so I don't think that's anybody's intention.”
Making sure that is the case despite the cap issues facing the franchise will be the responsibility of Gutekunst and Ball, the latter of which serves as the team's lead contract negotiator. Since the team and Rodgers re-worked his contract before last season that made it nearly impossible for him to be on the roster for 2022 at his current cap number, Gutekunst and Ball have likely been working on ways to keep Rodgers and maintain a roster that can compete for a championship.
"We'll get more into that plan now that the season is over in terms of the specifics of how you go about doing that," LaFleur said as he confirmed there was a plan in place. "There's ways to, I don't want to say manipulate, but there's ways to move money and to make sure that we get the bulk of our key contributors back. Are there absolutely going to be some tough decisions? No doubt about it. But I'm really confident in Russ's ability and Gutey's ability and us collectively to figure a way to do this thing."
After the drama of last offseason where a public rift between Rodgers and team management provided gossip and rumor that ruled the months of May, June, and July, both sides have said they are in a much better position heading into the next month or so. Rodgers and Gutekunst have a stronger relationship and seem to understand where each is coming from and that extends to everyone involved.
"I think it's a little bit different mindset," LaFleur said. "I think just the communication between us is pretty crystal clear. So, I'm hopeful it doesn't drag on quite as long and we'll make the necessary decisions once we kind of find out where he's at."
What if that decision is he wants to finish his career somewhere else? Have the Packers spoken about that possibility and what they will do if it comes up as it did a year ago?
"I haven't even been part of any of those discussions, nor have I, like I said last year, allowed my mind to kind of get to that point," LaFleur said. "I just want to do everything in our power to try to get him back here and making sure that he's comfortable with the direction of our football team, confident that we can continue to have success here, and, again, try to find a way to get us kind of over that hump so we can reach it further and further and further. Obviously, at the end of the saying only one team's happy and until we were holding that Lombardi Trophy, I don't think we're ever going to feel great about where we're at."
LaFleur said he and Rodgers spent quite some time speaking Monday. While he would not get into what exactly that conversation entailed, he made sure the quarterback knew how he and the organization felt about what he means to them.
"We're hopeful that he'll be back next year, obviously," LaFleur said. "This guy has done so much for such a long period of time for this organization, for the city, for this team. 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 until the day he decides to retire."
Not-so-special teams
The Packers offense was not good against San Francisco but Green Bay still led the game with roughly four minutes to go because of a dominant effort from the defense. That lead evaporated thanks to a blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown. It was one of at least three major miscues for the special teams in the game, starting with a blocked field goal just before halftime and then having just 10 men on the field for what proved to San Francisco's game-winning field goal.
The performance followed a season-long trend of inexcusable mistakes from ST coordinator Maurice Drayton's unit, one that finished dead last in Rick Gosselin's annual special teams rankings. Yet, LaFleur was not ready to fire him just yet.
"We have not gotten involved with any part of that process with any of our coaches," LaFleur said. "We got to look at everything, man. We got to look at everything. If we feel like we can improve in certain areas, then we will make tough decisions. But we're not even remotely close to getting into that at this at this point in time."
Promote from within
Green Bay offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett was in Denver on Monday to interview a second time to be the Broncos head coach. He is reportedly among the three finalists for the gig and has also interviewed for several more head coaching positions in the league. LaFleur is hopeful that Hackett will get the Denver job or one of the others while knowing it will leave a big hole to fill on his staff. Going about filling that opening has been on his mind and if it is something that ends up needing to happen, the person filling it will come from within the organization.
"We've got a lot of confidence in the guys that we have on our staff," LaFleur said. "We've got so many good guys. It's not going to be an easy decision, let me just tell you that."
The main candidates would likely be quarterbacks coach Luke Getsy or offensive line coach Adam Stenavich. Both are thought of highly by those inside and outside the organization. Getsy was the offensive coordinator at Mississippi State in 2018 before returning to Green Bay in 2019 as quarterbacks coach and was given the title of passing game coordinator prior to the 2020 season. Stenavich has overseen the offensive line the last three years and got the title of run game coordinator in advance of the 2021 season.
Douglas wants to be back
There wasn't a single player on the roster that came out of nowhere to make a huge impact more than Rasul Douglas. The cornerback was signed off Arizona's practice squad in October and by December he was named an alternate for the Pro Bowl and deserved more. He returned two interceptions for touchdowns, while also producing game-clinching takeaways against Arizona and Cleveland.
All that success is going to draw interest from other teams when free agency begins, though if it were up to Douglas, he would not be leaving the state.
"Of course, everyone knows I want to be here," Douglas said. "I'll just leave it at that."
Whether that happens will likely be a money decision. With so many other players' futures uncertain due to the Packers salary cap issues, Douglas will be among the tough decisions Gutekunst, Ball and LaFleur will have to make.
Dillon updates injury
If the Packers had won Saturday night, running back AJ Dillon likely would not have been able to play in the NFC title game. The second year back confirmed that he fractured a rib during a kickoff return early in the second half. He was unable to return, ending his night with 25 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.
“It's really tough missing time, always, especially in a game like that with that magnitude," Dillon said. "In a game where I feel like I could help make an impact. Obviously, I always want to help the team any way I can. I always say that. It's tough to not go out there."
Badgers fall out of top 10 in AP poll
Wisconsin dropped out of the top-10 of the latest Associated Press poll.
The Badgers, coming off a week in which they beat Northwestern on the road but fell at home to Michigan State, fell three spots to No. 11. It left them as the third-highest ranked Big Ten team behind No. 6 Purdue and the 10th-ranked Spartans. Two other teams from the conference -- Ohio State and Illinois -- came in at No. 16 and No. 24, respectively.
Three of Wisconsin's previous opponents are also in the poll, with Houston at No. 7, Providence at No. 17 and Marquette at No. 22.
Auburn jumped Gonzaga to be the No. 1 team in the country, the first time the Tigers have held that ranking in school history. The Zags, Arizona, Baylor and Kansas round out the top five.
The Badgers will hit the road Thursday to face Nebraska before coming back to the Kohl Center to host Minnesota.
49ers 13, Packers 10: 2-minute drill
GREEN BAY -- San Francisco kicker Robbie Gould hit a 45-yard field goal as time expired to send the 49ers to the NFC title game with a 13-10 win over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night at a snowy Lambeau Field.
Game Balls
Offense: Aaron Jones
The running back led the Packers in rushing and receiving on a night when the offense struggled to find its footing. Jones had 41 yards on 12 carries, while also catching nine passes for 129 yards.
The biggest play came late in the first half when he snuck behind the 49ers defense for a 75-yard catch and run, though they ended up being unable to capitalize with points thanks to a missed field goal.
Green Bay's most productive drive in the second half – a 14-play, 57-yard effort that took 9:01 off the clock – featured a lot of Jones, as he accounted for 22 of the yards on a possession that led to a field goal.
Defense: Rashan Gary
The Packers saw nights like this in their minds when they took Gary in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He was a dominant force for a Green Bay defense that deserved so much more than it got from the offense. The outside linebacker finished with four tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss and three quarterback hits.
Gary’s best play came in the fourth quarter and the Packers leading 10-3 with the 49ers facing a fourth-and-1. He made quick work of the guy trying to block him and stoned running back Elijah Mitchell in the hole, giving the ball back to the Packers. At the time, it seemed like it might be the play of the game.
It was a breakthrough season for Gary and one he finished off with his best performance yet.
Special Teams: No one
The special teams were atrocious much of the year and that was the case again Saturday night. Sure, the offense scored just 10 points, but it was the special teams miscues that derailed the team's hopes for a fifth Super Bowl title. The list of mistakes is a long one, but it starts with a blocked field goal just before halftime, includes a blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown to tie the game in the fourth quarter and ends with lining up just 10 guys on the game-winning field goal.
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In a season where expectations for the special teams had become so low, Saturday night’s effort did not come close to even matching those. There will be plenty of changes in the offseason and that will almost certainly include a new face leading that unit.
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In Case You Missed It
-- The Packers did not have the services of All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari. He worked out before the game but not cleared. Green Bay started Billy Turner at left tackle for the first time since the NFC title game last January.
-- Saturday marked the return of several key pieces to the team, including linebackers Za’Darius Smith and Whitney Mercilus, along with cornerback Jaire Alexander and wide receiver Randall Cobb.
-- The Packers lost a pair of players in the game. Safety Darnell Savage left in the second half with a back injury and did not return. Running back AJ Dillon suffered a chest injury on a kickoff return in the third quarter and was also unable to come back.
Inside the Numbers
0-4 – That is Aaron Rodgers’ record in the playoffs against the 49ers.
7-9 – That is the Packers record in the postseason since winning Super Bowl XLV following the 2010 season.
39 – That is how many wins the Packers have in the last three seasons. They became the first team in NFL history to win that many games without a Super Bowl appearance.
What’s Next
The offseason is filled with huge questions almost across the board, including the future of free agents to be Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Allen Lazard, Lucas Patrick, Robert Tonyan and De’Vondre Campbell, along with potential salary cap casualties like linebacker Za’Darius Smith and tackle Billy Turner.
But there is no bigger question facing the team than what happens with Aaron Rodgers. The soon-to-be two-time NFL MVP still has two years on his contract but his salary cap hit for 2022 is $46.4 million, a number impossible for the team to carry considering they are already $44.8 million over the cap.
https://twitter.com/WISN_Watson/status/1485126364172898307
So, what does Rodgers do? Agree to a new contract with the Packers with a friendlier cap number, get traded to a team of his choice or retire? Rodgers said after the game he intends to take some time before making a decision, one that will include talks with GM Brian Gutekunst and others around him.
Rodgers and Gutekunst are in a much better place now than they were at this point last year when the quarterback was less than pleased about not having a bigger say in decisions that impact how he does his job. That input and how Gutekunst uses it could go a long way with Rodgers' future, especially with so many key pieces potentially on the way out. If there is one thing Rodgers made clear is that being a part of a team that is not competing for a Super Bowl is not what he has in mind.
"I don't want to be a part of a rebuild if I'm going to keep playing," Rodgers said.
No matter what, though, after 17 years Rodgers knows change is coming whether he's still around or not.
"This thing is definitely going to look different moving forward in Green Bay."
