Blogs

Aaron Rodgers to appear on Thursday’s episode of “The Office”

According to multiple media reports, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is scheduled to appear on Thursday’s episode of the NBC comedy “The Office” as the star quarterback makes his prime-time acting debut.

Rodgers will be playing a judge in a singing contest. The episode is slated to air at 8 p.m. CT on Thursday.

Ted Thompson comments on Aaron Rodgers’ contract

During his press conference ending the second day of the draft, Packers GM Ted Thompson was asked to comment on the contract extension signed by QB Aaron Rodgers on Friday. Here’s what he said:

“Really glad it worked out. I think Aaron has proven himself to be a very fine quarterback, a very fine leader. As an extension of that, the Green Bay Packers and Packer fans have been very lucky to have Aaron Rodgers come in here and do the job he has, following a legend in Brett Favre, in the time that he spent from 1992 forward. To have those two guys as your two quarterbacks for that long a time is a remarkable thing, and it’s the record I think is a reflection of that.”

Infographic: Aaron Rodgers – Inside the numbers

For a glance at some of the statistics, awards, records, looks and personality traits that are a part of Aaron Rodgers‘ prolific career thus far, click here.

Click here to view the infographic

Packers.com on location: Videos from the NFL Scouting Combine

Packers.com is on location, covering the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Check out some Combine-related videos from Thursday at Lucas Oil Stadium:

From the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Packers.com’s Vic Ketchman asks Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News who the best quarterback in the NFL is.

Ketchman asks Gosselin what he thinks the future holds for the read-option: Is it here to stay?

Group of Packers joins Team Gleason in ALS fight

Four Packers — Head Coach Mike McCarthy, QB Aaron Rodgers, LB Clay Matthews and C Jeff Saturday — contributed to the production of a new PSA to raise awareness of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS, a disease that afflicts former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason.

You can view the PSA on Gleason’s “Team Gleason” website right here.

Gleason played for the Saints when McCarthy was offensive coordinator there. DB Charles Woodson also is participating in the effort, but he wasn’t featured in this first video release. Woodson is expected to be shown in an upcoming video.

Aaron Rodgers won’t play in Pro Bowl

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers said on his weekly radio show on Tuesday that he will not play in this year’s Pro Bowl due to injuries.

Rodgers didn’t get into many details, but he said he didn’t pass his physical. He specifically mentioned an ongoing ankle issue. He was also kicked in the calf back in Week 6 in Houston and noted how painful that was.

The only other Packers currently on the NFC’s Pro Bowl roster are LB Clay Matthews and C Jeff Saturday, but alternates could still be named to the team over the next week.

Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews named second-team All-Pro

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and LB Clay Matthews have been named second-team All-Pro by the Associated Press for 2012.

The annual All-Pro team features one player at each position voted as the best for that season. No Packers made the first team, which included Vikings RB Adrian Peterson and Texans DE J.J. Watt as unanimous selections.

Broncos QB Peyton Manning made the first team, with Rodgers the second-team pick at QB. The first-team choices at Matthews’ position of outside linebacker were Denver’s Von Miller and San Francisco’s Aldon Smith.

Packers elect six playoff captains

The Packers have voted for and selected their six captains for the 2012 postseason.

They are QB Aaron Rodgers and WR James Jones on offense, LB Clay Matthews and DB Charles Woodson on defense, and DB Jarrett Bush and LB Jamari Lattimore on special teams.

Those six players will wear a “C” patch on their jerseys for Saturday night’s game against Minnesota and for as many postseason games as the Packers play. The Packers don’t have any players wear a “C” during the regular season, as some teams do, because they choose weekly captains to go out for the coin toss each game.

Rodgers, Woodson and Bush have all been elected playoff captains in past years.

Rodgers finished the regular season as the NFL’s top-rated passer for the second season in a row. He posted a 108.0 rating, more than two points higher than Denver’s Peyton Manning, who was second at 105.8. Rodgers completed 67.2 percent of his passes for 4,295 yards with 39 TDs and only eight interceptions.

Jones led the Packers and the league in TD receptions with 14. He became the first Packers player to lead the league in that category since Sterling Sharpe had 18 TD catches in 1994. Jones also set career highs this season in both receptions (64) and yards (784).

Matthews led the Packers in sacks with 13, which fell just one-half sack short of his career high set in 2010. He ranked fifth in the league despite missing four games.

Woodson had just one interception and 1 1/2 sacks this season but has missed the last nine games with a broken collarbone. He has been medically cleared to play in the playoffs.

Bush and Lattimore are two of the Packers’ four special teams players who recorded double digits in coverage tackles. Bush led the team with 17 and added a fumble recovery, while Lattimore recorded 10.

Quotes from Green Bay Packers 2013 Pro Bowlers

QUARTERBACK AARON RODGERS

(what the recognition means to him)
“It’s an honor to be voted in, knowing that it’s a combination of the fans, my fellow players and the coaches. To be recognized by all of those people, it’s pretty special.”

(on dealing with some changes this season as far as injuries, roster moves, etc.)
“I’ve always put a lot of pressure on myself to play well every week. I have high expectations, I know this organization and my teammates do as well, they expect me to play well. We’ve had some personnel changes and injuries this year, but guys have stepped up and we’ve been fortunate to keep it rolling. I know I personally prepare to be successful, Monday through Saturday, and I think that’s why you see some of the success on the field on Sundays. I put a lot of time into it, I care about it, it means a lot to me, and I know my teammates are counting on me to play well every week.”

LINEBACKER CLAY MATTHEWS

(his reaction to being selected)
“It means a great deal to me to continue to maintain the success on a personal level year-in and year-out, but ultimately this is a testament to the team that we have. The players around me, the coaching staff, the personnel department, and everybody who is involved with allowing me to do the things I can do on the field and helping to put me in a position to excel.”

(on being the first Packer to be selected to the Pro Bowl each of his first four seasons in the NFL)
“It’s pretty special to hear something like that. Obviously, there have been so many great players to have come through here, so it is very meaningful. But to me, making the Pro Bowl again really speaks a great deal to the team we have and what we’ve been able to accomplish over these past four years in my short tenure here. Hopefully it’s an early foreshadowing of things to come as far as the success not only for myself, but for this team.”

CENTER JEFF SATURDAY

(what the recognition means to him)
“Obviously, it’s always an honor. Anytime you get to go to the Pro Bowl, it is an honor and you appreciate everyone, the players, coaches and fans that voted for you. As an offensive lineman, it is nice to get the award.”

(what it has been like for him to be with a new organization and new teammates)
“It has been fun. I have enjoyed the young guys and playing next to new guys for me. I am disappointed for Josh Sitton; I think he should be there. It is disappointing for me, for him. I would love to be able to pass it to him. He is a tough player and has played very well all season. I respect the heck out of the way he has played and it has been fun to play next to him. I’ve had fun playing with T.J. (Lang) and Evan (Dietrich-Smith). These guys have been a lot of fun to play with and obviously you depend on those guys. They make you look a lot better on game film, so I am very appreciative to those guys as well.”

Six Packers lead NFC Pro Bowl fan voting at their positions

Led by QB Aaron Rodgers, who earned the fifth-most votes overall in the recently concluded fan voting for the Pro Bowl, six Packers pulled in the most votes at their respective positions.

The other position leaders in the NFC are FB John Kuhn, C Jeff Saturday, KR Randall Cobb, OLB Clay Matthews and SS Charles Woodson.

Voting by the players and coaches has not yet been tabulated. Fan voting counts one-third in the selection process for the Pro Bowl rosters, which will be announced next Wednesday.

As the top NFC QB, Rodgers finished fifth overall in the fan voting with 777,827 votes. Leading the way was Broncos QB Peyton Manning (993,045), followed by Patriots QB Tom Brady (980,099), Texans RB Arian Foster (829,591) and Vikings RB Adrian Peterson (828,255).