One aspect, in particular, of the Instagram post Aaron Rodgers published Monday night had the football world cooking up theories and takes.
The 10th and final photo Rodgers used in the series was of Randall Cobb and Davante Adams, with a space in between the Packers wide receivers. That space typically is reserved for Rodgers, who always stands between his longtime Green Bay teammates during the national anthem before games.
Some thought Rodgers purposely chose a photo without him present as an indication he was preparing to leave the Packers. But as the two-time defending NFL MVP explained Tuesday on "The Pat McAfee Show," the picture simply holds a special place in his heart.
"When I got that photo from Randall and Davante, it brought tears to my eyes because that's my guys standing before the game," Rodgers told McAfee, as transcribed by ESPN. "Randall's always on my right, Tae's on my left and I embrace with both of them after the anthem. It's a part of the pregame ritual but also a statement about friendship and love and the connection that we have collectively and individually in our own friendships.
"They held space and an open spot for me in the game I missed because of my positive COVID test, and that got me, man. And that's one of my favorite photos from the year. It really is because it just shows the love and how special each of those moments are, so that's one of my all-time favorite photos and the thought that went into doing that was deeply moving to me, especially with how crazy that week was. To get that photo after the game from them, it got me."
Clearing the air about the photo effectively was the only revelation Rodgers made during his latest chat with McAfee. The superstar signal-caller kicked off the interview by stating he's not ready to make an announcement about his football future.
