In 2005, the 49ers had the No. 1 overall choice and selected Alex Smith over Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers became the 24th overall choice of the Packers.
Smith retired this offseason after eight seasons with the 49ers, five with the Chiefs and three with the Washington Football Team. Rodgers may or may not play a 17th season with the Packers in 2021.
Rodgers and the Packers are in a kerfuffle. The star quarterback went on ESPN on Monday and cited a difference in “philosophy” and noted that some in the Packers organization have forgotten it’s “about the people.”
Smith makes clear he is firmly in Rodgers’ corner.
“It’s inexcusable,” Smith said on The Herd with Colin Cowherd when asked about the Packers’ treatment of Rodgers.
Smith characterized the Packers’ decision not to inform Rodgers they were trading up to select Jordan Love in the first round in 2020 as insulting.
“It’s about the people, and it is, and Aaron’s been there that long,” Smith said. “And I don’t think it was the fact that they drafted Jordan Love in the first round. I think the fact, how do you have a guy like Aaron, and you don’t go make sure beforehand you aren’t going out of your way to make sure that he knows that he’s loved, that they want him there. That we may be taking a quarterback in the first round, we want to make sure you’re OK with it.”
Alex Smith calls Packers’ treatment of Aaron Rodgers “inexcusable” originally appeared on Pro Football Talk