Demaurice Smith had a lot to manage during his tenure as the head of the NFL Players Association from 2009 to 2023, and Aaron Rodgers certainly added to those challenges.
Rodgers was one of the players who voted against the 17-game season agreement, which came out in response to the 2020 collective bargaining agreement that he disapproved of.
In his forthcoming book, Turf Wars, Smith described Rodgers as “isolated and rejected” by his peers, referring to him as “the God of Cheesehead Nation.” It seems the criticism was not uncommon, as Smith pointed out in his memoir.
“He would sit at the back of meetings, sighing loudly, and make a dramatic exit,” Smith noted. Sure, Rodgers is an exceptional quarterback, but he’s also quite the antagonist.
This isn’t surprising, really; Rodgers is not the type to shy away from the spotlight. He’s consistently in the news unless he’s, you know, completely off-grid.
Just last month, his previous girlfriend, former professional racer Danica Patrick, described him as “emotionally abusive,” indicating that their relationship was quite rocky.
In August 2021, Smith recalled an interesting moment when he received a text from Rodgers asking for a call. A simple request that, well, probably required navigating some traffic.
Rodgers has kept himself in the headlines as he navigated free agency decisions, eventually signing with the Steelers just before minicamp started.
Once he arrived in Pittsburgh, he turned heads with a new wedding ring, although there hadn’t been any prior announcements about his marriage. This has certainly added an air of mystery.
Rodgers isn’t the only NFL personality discussed in Smith’s book. League commissioner Roger Goodell received some criticism, described as having a “cold, dark blank” demeanor.
Smith also aimed to create a stir with comments about Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
