Packers’ Aaron Rodgers: Having to Stay in Green Bay for Bye Week ‘Totally Sucks’

Morry Gash/Associated Press

After leading the Green Bay Packers to a 4-0 start by virtue of a 30-16 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football, quarterback Aaron Rodgers gave his take on having to stay in Green Bay during the Week 5 bye.

According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Rodgers said: “It sucks, it totally sucks. Obviously it is what it is; especially as an older player, I look forward to the bye weeks. It is what it is. We’ll be here. We’ll make the most of it, but it sucks.”

The NFL and NFL Players Association agreed to institute a new rule last week, decreeing that players and coaches cannot leave their home cities during bye weeks so they can be available for daily COVID-19 testing.

The new rule was created after an outbreak within the Tennessee Titans organization forced the NFL to postpone its scheduled game against the Pittsburgh Steelers from Week 4 until Week 7.

As of Saturday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that eight Titans players and 16 members of the organization overall had tested positive for COVID-19.

The NFL also had to postpone the clash between the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots from Sunday to Monday after Patriots starting quarterback Cam Newton and Chiefs practice squad quarterback Jordan Ta’amu were diagnosed with COVID-19, per Schefter.

After no new positives were found, the Patriots and Chiefs did play Monday, with Kansas City winning 26-10 to improve to 4-0.

Remaining in Green Bay during the bye is a must for Rodgers and his teammates since an unexcused missed COVID-19 test results in a $50,000 fine, followed by a one-game suspension for a second missed test and additional penalties for three or more missed test.

Also, a player or coach who misses a test must have five negative PCR tests 24 hours apart before being admitted back into the team facility.

Through one quarter of the 2020 season, Rodgers is a bona fide MVP candidate, completing 70.5 percent of his passes for 1,214 yards, 13 touchdowns and no interceptions. That’s despite the fact that No. 1 wide receiver Davante Adams has missed two games and No. 2 option Allen Lazard is out with a core muscle injury.

Once Rodgers and Co. return from their bye week, they will have a tough test against Tom Brady and the currently 3-1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6.