April 25th, 2023.
A day, if you’re a Packers fan, that you’ll look back on and know exactly where you were the moment Green Bay waved goodbye to quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
It also happens to be the same day that a large number of cheeseheads can sign the date on their apology letter to Packers general manager, Brian Gutekunst, or at least, they should.
In all of Packer’s fan debates, there is not a single person who has received more heat for the move he has or has not made, and for some reason, the crowd that should be applauding him for leading this team, in what many referred to as a “rebuilding” year, instead they are heading to the post-season, is, well, awfully quiet today.
Moving on from 4-time MVP Aaron Rodgers took major onions, and it also meant his belief in the kid he drafted in 2020 was ready, and by the looks of it, Gutey was right, once again. Another move that was met with heavy criticism that has turned out to be completely incorrect.
Drafting guys like Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Tucker Kraft, Christian Watson and even Romeo Doubs have helped propel the youngest offense in the NFL to do something the veteran-led group failed to do a year ago.
Gutey’s hiring of LaFleur in 2019 is also something, that still to this day, is overlooked.
Many fans scoffed at it, didn’t agree with it, and some probably still don’t, but nonetheless, it turned out to be the right call, without a doubt.
His foresight in planning for the future yet playing for today is something that not many general managers in the NFL are able to do, it’s also why you see so many vacancies around the league at this time. Many are getting fired, and unlike them, Gutey is gearing up for the post-season, and it’s a major reason why so many Packers fan owe this man an apology.
