Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers broke his thumb in Week Five. It took him nearly seven weeks to acknowledge that the thumb is broken.
Why didn’t he say so sooner?
There are three possibilities, as we see it. First, he’s been tempted to disclose it since it happened, and he finally gave in to the urge to make sure everyone knows what he’s been dealing with. Second, he decided in the aftermath of Thursday’s poor performance against the Titans that he needed to give credence to the built-in excuse for multiple poor throws. Third, he’s laying the foundation for the endgame of his season, and possibly his career.
If the Packers don’t turn things around soon, Rodgers may end up on injured reserve for the rest of the year, with Jordan Love taking over.
Of course, if that happens, the question then becomes whether Rodgers will retire after the season, or even whether he’ll try to play for another team in 2023. The former is far more likely.
There’s also a chance Rodgers will be determined to not let a subpar 2022 be his final act in the NFL, and that he’ll decide to come back for one last ride.
Regardless, the current ride could be ending. Rodgers is too smart to do anything accidentally. He had a plan for saying what he said. And the plan could be that, if the Packers lose to the Eagles and fall to 4-8, he’ll slide to IR for the rest of 2022, with his status in 2023 to be determined at some point down the line.