Recognition Season: Rodgers, LaFleur and Gutekunst worthy award winners
Aaron Rodgers, Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst deserve recognition this award season.
By markoldacres
As the playoffs begin, awards have already been handed out in the form of Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods to Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams and De'Vondre Campbell, but the game’s biggest prizes are still to be handed out at the annual NFL Honors ceremony.
After another 13-win season for the Green Bay Packers, it can be argued that the organisation boasts the MVP, Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year for 2021.
Aaron Rodgers is the MVP, dummies
As far as midway through the NFL season, there seemed to be no way Aaron Rodgers would defend his Most Valuable Player crown.
Rodgers started relatively slow, and even missed a game due to COVID-19. However, his almost faultless play in the back half of the season has forced the hands of voters.
Rodgers should be, and will be, the MVP.
The AP voters who decide the award are the same ones who just voted Rodgers as an All-Pro over Tom Brady, essentially indicating Green Bay’s QB will go back-to-back.
Any attempts to argue for another candidate at this stage feel forced, whether it be for Brady, Jonathan Taylor or Cooper Kupp.
Taylor and Kupp enjoyed incredible seasons at their respective positions, but there is no need for anyone to suddenly decide the MVP is anything other than a quarterback award.
When it comes to the QBs, it has a been a year of inconsistency across the board, with no passer putting together a true complete season.
Through that lens, it has been remarkable watching Rodgers work for most of the year. He simply plays the position on another plain than almost anyone else. All the man does is throw touchdowns and take care of the ball.
Rodgers has played with a broken toe for a good chunk of the year, and behind a patchwork offensive line, which he has accommodated by firing the ball out at an average clip of 2.59 seconds, the fastest of his career.
Rodgers threw four interceptions all year and none of them came in his final seven games. Tom Brady threw three times as many picks.
The Packers QB is now the owner of the six best single season touchdown to interception ratios in NFL history among players with at least 500 attempts.
The calls for Brady as MVP seem to have grown in recent weeks after he was made to play without an elite wide receiver corps for all of three games, managing to beat the lowly Panthers twice and the Jets (barely) in that time.
Brady has put up gaudy numbers for yards and completions in his first 17-game season, those stats simply aren’t that indicative of elite play, more the product of a pass-happy offense.
People may not like it, but Aaron Rodgers is the slam dunk MVP once again.
Give Matt LaFleur his damn flowers
It cannot be right that former Bears coach Matt Nagy has a Coach of the Year award and Matt LaFleur does not.
LaFleur has 39 wins in his first three seasons as an NFL head coach, the most in league history, and there is a growing sense that he may win the award this year on a sort of ‘lifetime achievement’ basis, and it would certainly be deserved.
The standard and ridiculous caveat to any suggestion of LaFleur ever winning Coach of the Year is that his quarterback is Aaron Rodgers. This is a lazy take and completely chooses to forget what the Packers, and Rodgers looked like when LaFleur arrived in Green Bay.
The Packers were coming off back-to-back losing seasons as the Mike McCarthy era fizzled to an end, and there were serious questions as to whether Aaron Rodgers was in an irreversible decline coming off his worst season in years.
LaFleur returned Rodgers to his best, and turned the Packers around almost overnight. It’s about time he receives recognition as one of the best coaches in the NFL and is rewarded with some hardware.
Brian GOATekunst (I'm sorry)
Another person who’s really good at his job is Brian Gutekunst, who navigated a stormy offseason with class and then worked his magic to put together a top tier roster.
Many of the moves Gute made during the offseason were questioned, none more so than bringing back Preston Smith and Dean Lowry following down years for both, with the Packers pressed up against the salary cap.
Both players proved him right and enjoyed terrific seasons on Green Bay’s defensive line.
The signing of De’Vondre Campbell was a masterstroke, giving the Packers their first All-Pro middle linebacker since Ray Nitschke and helping to create a more balanced and rigid defense, while another summer signing, offensive lineman Dennis Kelly has held down the fort at right tackle when called upon.
Injuries to a staggering number of the Packers’ star players threatened to derail The Last Dance, but Gutekunst responded again, plucking Rasul Douglas off the Arizona Cardinals practice squad and unearthing a tremendous playmaker on the back end.
Gutekunst has truly gone all in this season and set the table for the Packers to finally get over the hump. He is the Executive of the Year and it’s not close.
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Mark Oldacres is a sports writer from Birmingham, England and a Green Bay Packers fan. You can follow him on twitter at @MarkOldacres
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Comments (56)
Ya_tittle
January 15, 2022 at 03:23 pm
Right on all counts. Hope you can persuade the right people.
dblbogey
January 15, 2022 at 04:19 pm
Y. A. Tittle: Your career stats are 212 TD.... 221 INT.... and a passer rating of 73.6. I never saw him in his prime, I vaguely recall watching him play his very last game when I was 10. I think the stats are more of an indicator of how much the game has changed.
wildbill
January 16, 2022 at 10:54 am
I watched him and he was a beast, you can’t compare his era with what goes on today.
jurp
January 16, 2022 at 05:02 pm
So true:
https://a3.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2014%2F0715%2Ftittle_he...
mbpacker
January 15, 2022 at 04:33 pm
Agree with your assessment. I think if there was a stadium/fans award the Packers would win that too, but would win that almost every year! GPG!
10ve 💚
January 15, 2022 at 05:05 pm
Spot on Mark!
stockholder
January 15, 2022 at 05:14 pm
Rodgers should get the MVP Award. But MLF for Coach of the year? Not happening. Same with Gutey. The first argument is Rodgers. He makes this team better. You have a MVP qb two years in a row. And MLF has had problems with the Special Teams and the Defense. (It's more then the win/Lost record.) He is deserving of the consideration though! And Last Gutey. No- Freakin way. The problem in Green Bay was Gutey. The Drama put Gutey under the microscope. He had time to fix the ILB for years. And who was responsible for Cobb? He stayed away from every position until this year. Leaving us all in shock. And if he gets his GM award of the year. It could hurt this franchise for years. Because Rodgers won't be here.
Oppy
January 15, 2022 at 06:16 pm
Brian Gutekunst was with the Packers long before Aaron Rodgers, and will be with the Packers long after Aaron Rodgers.
He's by all accounts a good man, and a good man who knows football.
You should probably get used to him. He's not going anywhere anytime soon.
dobber
January 15, 2022 at 08:17 pm
"The first argument is Rodgers. He makes this team better. You have a MVP qb two years in a row. "
Since 2007, the coach of the year and MVP have been on the same team 4 times, two times in the Evil Empire, once was Ron Rivera/Cam Newton, and once for John Harbaugh and Lamar Jackson. In three of those cases, the coach of the year was on established teams with an established star QB--and on the fourth it was an established team with an emerging Jackson. It happens.
Thegreatreynoldo
January 16, 2022 at 02:01 am
Check and Mate.
stockholder
January 16, 2022 at 08:38 am
Of Course it happens . Never said it didn't.
croatpackfan
January 16, 2022 at 09:05 am
The problem is not Brian Gutekunst. The problem is your beloved (maybe wet dreams) QB AR. As soon you understand that, you will be start enjoying football game and you'll lose that bitter feling that kills you.
stockholder
January 16, 2022 at 09:26 am
There is No bitter feelings. I feel his drafting SUCKS. The only one I've ever agreed with was Alexander. Gary has turned out better then I would have dreamed. ////But I still felt; he put this team back//// by not drafting the DL first. My other complaint has been ILB. And he got so Lucky with Campbell, it must make every GM sick. The Gary pick is where the NFL is going. Pass rushers first. So he nailed that, but I still saw less gambles. The problem, is getting locked into the TRUST theory. And you are locked in regardless if it wrecks Rodgers.
jurp
January 16, 2022 at 05:06 pm
Dude, what's with the ////s? If you're trying to quote something, we have these little things called "quotation marks" on every keyboard in the English-speaking world. You never answered my query from many weeks ago if you're a native English speaker, but if you are, i suggest you hunt these little buggers down and use them to make your posts easier to read.
Oh, and you continue to be one of the worst football analysts I've ever come across.
Reghamster
January 17, 2022 at 02:15 pm
Robber, stockholder has obviously been drinking the kool-aid again!
dobber
January 16, 2022 at 09:36 am
"And if he gets his GM award of the year. It could hurt this franchise for years. Because Rodgers won't be here."
There is absolutely no "if A, then B" connection there. None.
jurp
January 16, 2022 at 05:09 pm
"And if he gets his GM award of the year. It could hurt this franchise for years. Because Rodgers won't be here."
Two sentence fragments and one simple sentence to post the most illogical thought of this young year. Setting a high (low?) bar for the rest of us.
dobber
January 16, 2022 at 07:37 pm
It's a football haiku.
stockholder
January 16, 2022 at 07:40 pm
comment- a verbal or written remark expressing an opinion or reaction. I only tried to plant that seed in your mind. No matter how small it is. What does that have to do with being a journalist or analysis? You want to change the meaning and intent. By putting your spin on it. I get it works for you. Obviously, you get paid working at Home.
Gman1976
January 15, 2022 at 05:49 pm
Gute really handled the off season drama so well that our soon to be MVP QB has talked about how good his relationship has been with him and how much he has enjoyed this season. Great job Gute!
dobber
January 15, 2022 at 05:51 pm
I would love to see BG get that award if only to see a certain CHTV regular's meltdown.
Oppy
January 15, 2022 at 06:19 pm
I have heard a number of people talk about how Aaron Rodgers' relationship(s) with the front office have improved.
Where is this coming from? I see it a lot, but I haven't seen Rodgers comment on Mark Murphy or Brian Gutekunst at all.
I'm not saying he hasn't, I'm asking where to find the information.
SanLobo
January 15, 2022 at 07:48 pm
Rodgers was on one of his Tuesday Pat MacAfee shows where he was asked about his relationship with Gutenkunst, and he said it was much better and he appreciated how Gutenkunst has brought him into discussions about decisions that affect his position.
Oppy
January 15, 2022 at 08:40 pm
I can find quotes attributed to Rodgers on McAfee saying that he's had discussions with Gute and feels his discussions with the GM should remain private for the time being. I've found mentions on McAfee saying he's happy with the moves that have been made in regards to personnel this year, particularly Cobb and Douglass. But I haven't found anything where Rodgers says he feels his relationship with Gutekunst and the FO in general is more positive or better than it was earlier in the year.
He's actually dodged questions about his future, and there's also the ominous "I love playing football" response when asked by McAfee if he loves being a Packer. All these things within the last month or so.
Can someone get me a link to where Rodgers specifically says his relationship with Gute or the Packers in general is better?
Coldworld
January 16, 2022 at 08:46 am
The closest I know of is “ "I've enjoyed being a part of conversations that directly affect my job, which I talked about in the offseason, and Brian's taken the lead in that. And I do appreciate the way our relationship has grown," Rodgers said, per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic
What he said in McAfee was: “There has been great communication, I’ve enjoyed the conversations with Brian that we’ve had throughout the year so far.”
https://www.sportingnews.com/us/amp/nfl/news/aaron-rodgers-packers-front...
Oppy
January 16, 2022 at 01:40 pm
Thank you for being the only person in the last 3 weeks who could point me to something.
NickPerry
January 16, 2022 at 12:33 pm
Common guys, why is Oppy getting "Thumbs Down" for asking a question? Good quation Oppy...CW's response is right on the money.
jurp
January 16, 2022 at 05:10 pm
Because the downvoters hate Gutekunst with a weird visceral passion and can't stand reading anything positive about him.
SanLobo
January 16, 2022 at 03:21 pm
Here’s what he said about the team and his future with the team. I remember hearing him say this and I still believe it was on McAfee. But here’s a link to the article where I pulled it. The quotes are not attributed to the McAfee show, but there a lot of stuff on that show used by other sports writers/casters that don’t get attributed back to him.
“ There will be a lot of things that I’ll weigh in the offseason. Saying that doesn’t mean, or any of the comments I’ve made, doesn’t mean I’m thinking about playing elsewhere, I do want to clarify that. The things that I’ve said about the team this year, about Brian’s and I’s relationship has been heartfelt and genuine and I do appreciate a lot of the things that I’ve seen from the team that are directly related to conversations we had in the offseason, and that was meaningful to me.
“I’ve enjoyed being a part of conversations that directly affect my job, which I talked about in the offseason, and Brian’s taken the lead in that, and I do appreciate the way our relationship has grown.
“I have a lot of love for Matt and enjoy playing for him. I love my teammates. The coaching staff has been fantastic, and they make it fun every single day. And the guys, obviously, is what you play for. … So I’m just savoring this year as much as anything.”
Link: https://www.jox2fm.com/news/packers-qb-aaron-rodgers-plans-to-make-quick...
Crankbait
January 16, 2022 at 04:05 am
Great job Aaron ?
barutanseijin
January 15, 2022 at 05:57 pm
Look at Belichick who like it or not is the gold standard when it comes to modern NFL coaches. He’s a defensive guy, but he thinks about all aspects of the game, including special teams. MLF is not at that level yet. He should get consideration for coach of the year when he gets there, not now.
Crankbait
January 16, 2022 at 04:06 am
Yes our defense and special teams are still sorely lacking.
croatpackfan
January 16, 2022 at 09:08 am
Did you watched how Bill Belichik team performed against Bills twice in the row? 47-17!
And the only bright player on the ST was their kicker. Patriots ST looked completely overmatched.
stockholder
January 16, 2022 at 09:36 am
You are wrong! Bill Belichik is the coach / and GM. Something Sherman had to give up. When TT fired him. I love Belichiks drafting. Barman (DL) was a stand out this year and got hurt just before the Play-offs. So when your banged up. It shows. Get off your I hate Rodgers. And in Gutey I "Love."
Coldworld
January 16, 2022 at 01:51 pm
Technically he’s not the GM, but he does effectively fill a good part of that role. That said, he’s never been seen as a draft guru. Rather he was lauded for what he did outside of the draft in finding unheralded or unwanted players and finding ways to make them work for them.
I can’t post a link, because I posted one previously on this thread and 2 sets off the spam filter. Let’s just say that his drafting acumen over the last 5 years or so is the subject of debate. Feel free to search though. It’s out there if you only care to look.
dobber
January 16, 2022 at 03:01 pm
Here's a link to the Pats' draft history:
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/nwe/draft.htm
Turophile
January 16, 2022 at 03:03 pm
I'm surprised you like Belichick's drafting.
While he is very good at most things relating to football, I never thought he was much when it came to drafting...........and I put that down mostly to too many demands on his time to do a through-the-year scouting job.
Jared
January 16, 2022 at 07:43 pm
With that logic, how did Nagy get it??
splitpea1
January 15, 2022 at 06:20 pm
Yes: All in for Gute winning Executive of the Year, for all the reasons you mentioned.
Sure, why not: Rodgers for MVP. In a pass-happy, QB driven league, we've got the best this season. However, it's worth noting that there have been only three non-offensive MVPs in the history of this award, with the vast majority of them beings QBs--which suggests to me that this award has become somewhat watered-down and the voters need to pay more attention to other positions from time to time.
Probably not: MLF. Like it or not, MLF is not going to get the respect some are clamoring for with Rodgers under center until he at least reaches the Super Bowl. And while he inherited a team in the doldrums with stale play-calling and the like in 2019, the Packers weren't exactly bereft of offensive talent. There's no doubt that he has done a fantastic job righting the ship, though. Keep in mind that Chuck Noll, a man who transformed a terminally downtrodden franchise into a NFL powerhouse for nearly a decade, never won Coach of the Year--so it's really not the end of the world if LaFleur doesn't win it.
egbertsouse
January 15, 2022 at 09:11 pm
Sorry, I just don’t give a crap about all these popularity contests. I also don’t care about the Oscars, Grammys, Emmys, Golden Globes, or Miss America.
Crankbait
January 16, 2022 at 04:11 am
Thank you for being the adult in the room.
calabasa
January 16, 2022 at 12:25 am
If 12 stays, the award should be taken from whoever wins it and given to Gute. By AR.
Crankbait
January 16, 2022 at 04:01 am
All these recognition awards are nothing more than participation trophies, ego stroking pats on the back for sports writers to blather about.
Did you watch the Buffalo Bills last night? That's all that matters right there. Buffalo is focused on ONE thing, the only thing .
NickPerry
January 16, 2022 at 08:28 am
"The calls for Brady as MVP seem to have grown in recent weeks after he was made to play without an elite wide receiver corps for all of three games, managing to beat the lowly Panthers twice and the Jets (barely) in that time."
Are you fucking (Sorry Al) kidding me!!! This is the kind of CRAP I'm so TIRED of when it comes to Brady. Brady has or had Evans, Godwin, Nutcase Brown, and Gronk for all or parts of this season.
Rodgers? Well Rodgers had Adams and... Oh wait, he had Lazard for the last 4 or 5 weeks at a #2 level, MVS at times, and Randall Cobb for what, 7 or 8 weeks? What Rodgers does with the weapons he's given is unbelievable.
Brady also had his ENTIRE O-Line for all or most of the season. I saw a few were first or 2nd team All-Pro's.
Rodgers? Well he lost his All Pro center to FA and then the rookie replacement for over half the season. Same thing for his All-Pro LG who had to fill in for the BEST LT in the NFL because he missed all but 27 snaps this year. Well at least till he was injured and OUT FOR THE YEAR!
I'm so Goddamn sick of even listening to this debate. There ISN'T one. Rodgers is the MVP! Give Rodgers that many weapons at this stage of his career, with THAT RB tandem, and he probably wouldn't lose a game.
HawkPacker
January 16, 2022 at 10:07 am
And don't forget about losing the TE for much of the season as well.
Starrbrite
January 16, 2022 at 01:26 pm
Preach it Nickperry —-I don’t need to post now—excellent!
Tundraboy
January 17, 2022 at 01:32 am
Your finest hour NP!
NickPerry
January 16, 2022 at 08:42 am
Oh, and BTW... MLF DESERVES to be named the coach of the year without a doubt but I'm sure he'll get screwed another HC who doesn't have Aaron Rodgers. That is the WEAKEST argument ever BTW. I mean common man, Bill Belichick won it 3 times with Tom Brady. I not saying Belichick didn't deserve the award because he did, I mean the dude is a great HC. But MLF shouldn't be penalized with the weakest of weak arguments because he has Rodgers.
Gute also deserves to be the Executive of the year, though I hear many love (guess who) Bill Belichick after BB spent a gazillion dollars in Free Agency and won with a rookie QB BTW... I'm SO glad the 49ers and Bears drafted who they did because I think Mac Jones is going to be a great QB in this game for years to come.
stockholder
January 16, 2022 at 08:53 am
You- but I'm sure he'll get screwed another HC who doesn't have Aaron Rodgers. Me- Exactly! ( it will come down to Defensive and special team rankings.)
NickPerry
January 16, 2022 at 12:27 pm
Excellent points SH...I'm sure you're right about that one.
Since'61
January 16, 2022 at 11:59 am
The coach of the year is the coach who wins the SB. Otherwise it's a redundant participation award. Why give the coach of the year award to a coach who takes a 3 win team to a 9 win team? What happens if the next season the team goes back to 5 wins or worse? It doesn't mean anything if you're not the championship coach.
Executive of the year, what are the criteria??? Again the GM whose team wins the SB is the Executive of the Year. Who even knows who wins this award anyway?
Theses are like preseason games. Who remembers who wins or loses preseason games? Who even remembers or cares who the opponents were in the preseason.
These are all awards for the sake of awards. Just give me the Lombardi trophy. Those are the players, coaches and executives who have done the best job for that particular season. The rest are consolation prizes and meaningless. Moving on. Thanks, Since '61
relleum61
January 16, 2022 at 05:26 pm
I concur Since'61. AR, MLF and BG are all worthy candidates. However, I will offer the MVP, the COY and the EOY awards to the football gods in exchange for a Lombardi!
Starrbrite
January 16, 2022 at 08:27 pm
We certainly want the Lombardi, but reaping we’ll-deserved awards during the process is fine with me.
I agree with with NickPerry and Stockholder.
With highest regards to Relleum61 and since61.
Reghamster
January 17, 2022 at 02:43 pm
I think we should just give them all either Golden Globe Awards or perhaps better yet free access to the NETCASH1 web site so they can make some easy domestic money at home in their free time after their stressful football day life is over also known as early, possible, maybe who -knows -yet retirement.
And in lieu of trophies let us give them something they might really value . So for AR how about the book ' A History and Guide to Scotches or how to guzzle beer in public like David Bakhtari and his Dad ' . I am sure MLF would enjoy a free membership to Ancestry. com so he can explore the ancestral roots to La Fleur and its connection to American style football. And for Gute , a sabbatical from being a GM for a year ( to be replaced by the suddenly free Matt Nagy !) so he can finish his yet to be published how to book ' How to work and live with a Diva !'
Reghamster
January 17, 2022 at 02:43 pm
I think we should just give them all either Golden Globe Awards or perhaps better yet free access to the NETCASH1 web site so they can make some easy domestic money at home in their free time after their stressful football day life is over also known as early, possible, maybe who -knows -yet retirement.
And in lieu of trophies let us give them something they might really value . So for AR how about the book ' A History and Guide to Scotches or how to guzzle beer in public like David Bakhtari and his Dad ' . I am sure MLF would enjoy a free membership to Ancestry. com so he can explore the ancestral roots to La Fleur and its connection to American style football. And for Gute , a sabbatical from being a GM for a year ( to be replaced by the suddenly free Matt Nagy !) so he can finish his yet to be published how to book ' How to work and live with a Diva !'
Avrumi
January 18, 2022 at 03:04 pm
𝐈 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 $𝟏𝟒𝟎 𝐭𝐨 $𝟒𝟓𝟎 𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞. 𝐈 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝟑 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐨 𝐢𝐢𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐲 $𝟐𝟒𝟔𝟓𝟐 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 .
𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄,,..,,... 𝘄𝘄𝘄.𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗝𝗼𝗯𝟮𝟰𝟳.𝗰𝗼𝗺