WAUKESHA — To some Green Bay Packers fans they could take or leave quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The football star announced on Wednesday he intends to play for the New York Jets in 2023 after 18 seasons in Green Bay and the four-time NFL MVP quarterback is waiting for the Packers to trade him.
The Freeman went to The Destination Bar, 218 E Main St., and on social media to get local reaction. On Wednesday several people kicked back with a beer or cold beverage for a midweek escape. The Packers star was not out of the minds of patrons.
"I guess it was time to go. I was a fan of Rodgers. I was a fan of Favre too. I saw it on Facebook and I was like ‘Seriously? Fine. Go.’ Now it’s time for the next generation," said Jesus Dominguez.
People are looking at Jordan Love as a possible new starting quarterback.
Justin Rodriguez said, "I’m ready for him to move on, but I think people need to have respect for what he did for Wisconsin. I’m ready for us to move onto Love, but I think he needs to do it right so he can leave a legacy in Wisconsin."
Another fan, Julian Rodriguez said, "I think it’s a great opportunity for another great quarterback to come forward for our team."
Destination bartender Karen Fraker said she was tired of the drama and not making guesses anymore on Rodgers’ future. She is hoping for Love to be the new quarterback.
"I’d imagine it would be Love because he’s been sitting on the bench as long as Rodgers sat while Brett Favre played," she said.
Fraker added the emotions are similar to when Favre retired.
Bob Haggith on social media commented how he watched all the games Favre played no matter what team he played.
“I’ll be watching 6 hours of football again this year,” Haggith said.
Don Van Trieste of Greenfield said he is grateful for providing a long time of Packers dominance in the NFC North.
“Media has made him look like a bad guy, but he’s always shown lots of love to Green Bay and the fans,” he said.
Carol Gallagher of Waukesha hopes Love will be given a chance and the Packers won’t have to wait each year to hear if their quarterback is going to play. “Hopefully the drama will end for the Packers. It will be interesting to see how his teammates in New York will like the idea of him playing and picking out the New York Jets team. I lost a lot of respect for him when he talked about mind-alerting drugs that he took out of the country. It didn’t make him someone for a child to look up to. So this year on to the Super Bowl,” Gallagher said.
School District of Waukesha Superintendent Jim Sebert said the Packers had amazing quarterback play from two players for 30 years which is unheard of. He added seeing Favre’s and Rodgers’ departures being similar is unbelievable.
“The fact that Love waited the same amount of time as Rodgers to get to play. Just unreal,” Sebert said.
Pete Bosch of Waukesha was tired of the drama.
“So long. Don’t let the door hit you in your ... . Didn’t like the drama with #4, don’t like it with #12,” Bosch said.
In Oconomowoc, people voiced the need to move on from Rodgers.
“He’s making the Packers look like a terrible place to play. He wants Lazard (done), Cobb and Mercedes Lewis to come with him. I’ve lost respect for him,” Cheryl Koeferl Kane said.
Kerry Shaw Brown felt the Packers’ management has been a disaster.
“Still I don’t care that he’s leaving. The whole bunch created a dysfunctional mess that always chokes in the playoffs,” Brown said.
Dean Muehl felt it was time. “The Rodgers era has run its course. From a Packers fan side of it, I ask myself if the team has the pieces in place to bring Rodgers back for one year for a legitimate Super Bowl run. I don’t see the team around him for that to happen. So you might as well move on from him and get the retooling of the team in motion,” Muehl said.
Rebecca Schroeder Blackman will miss Rodgers as a Packer in her heart but said it hasn’t been the same watching him play for years now.
“Despite the constant negative media attention he has been a hell of a quarterback and I respect him for that and wish him the best of luck,” she said.
