Chapter 12 Past Present And Future

Rodgers Brings Ideas from the Future

 The Green Bay Packers' practice facility, a few days after the preseason game against the Bengals. It's early morning, and the coaches are gathered in the film room reviewing game tape. Head Coach Mike McCarthy, Offensive Coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski, and Quarterbacks Coach Tom Clements are seated at a large table littered with papers, playbooks, and coffee cups. They're engrossed in the screen, discussing adjustments for the next preseason game.

The door opens, and Aaron Rodgers steps in, carrying a thick notebook. He's dressed in casual workout gear, looking focused and determined. The coaches glance up, momentarily surprised at his early visit.

Rodgers: (clearing his throat) "Coach, do you have a minute? I've got something I think you guys need to see."

McCarthy: (leaning back in his chair, curious) "What's on your mind, Aaron?"

Rodgers: (holding up the notebook) "I've been looking at some offensive concepts... new ideas that I think could really change how we run our offense. Stuff that's going to become huge in the league in the next few years."

Clements: (raising an eyebrow) "New ideas? Like what?"

Rodgers: (smiling confidently, walking over to the table and laying out his notebook) "Okay, hear me out. I'm talking about pre-snap motion, jet sweeps, orbit motions, RPOs—things that use misdirection and put the defense on its heels. I know it sounds out there, but it's what some of the most innovative offenses are going to run in the future."

McCarthy: (crossing his arms, intrigued but skeptical) "Pre-snap motion isn't new, Aaron. Teams have been doing it for years. What's different about what you're proposing?"

Rodgers: (flipping open the notebook to a page filled with diagrams) "Right, but not like this. I'm talking about motion with purpose. Moving guys around to identify defensive coverages and create mismatches. Think about using the running back or receiver to cross the formation just before the snap, forcing the defense to reveal their intentions. Then we hit them with a play that's designed based on what we see."

Jagodzinski: (leaning forward, glancing at the notebook) "And these RPOs you're talking about?"

Rodgers: (nodding eagerly) "Run-Pass Option plays. Basically, I make a quick decision post-snap based on what the defense does. If the linebacker crashes in on the run, I pull the ball and hit a quick slant to the receiver. If they drop back, I hand it off. It's a way to keep the defense guessing, and it puts the ball in the hands of our playmakers with space to operate."

McCarthy: (looking thoughtful, glancing at the other coaches) "This is... ambitious, Aaron. This kind of stuff, it's not easy to install mid-preseason. We've got a system in place."

Rodgers: (calm but firm) "I get that, Coach. But this isn't just some fad. This is the future of offense in the NFL. Look, teams are eventually gonna use this stuff to run circles around defenses. And we can be ahead of the curve. Imagine what we can do with guys like Donald Driver and Greg Jennings in space."

Clements: (examining the diagrams more closely) "This RPO concept... it puts a lot on the quarterback. You think you can handle it?"

Rodgers: (grinning) "I know I can. It's about reading the defense in real-time, which is something I'm already doing. This just gives us more options and flexibility. We're not guessing; we're reacting based on what they give us."

McCarthy: (rubbing his chin, clearly considering the potential) "If we were to try something like this, we'd have to practice it. The offensive line would need to know when to block for a run and when to hold back for a pass. And the receivers need to understand when they're a run decoy and when they're the hot read."

Rodgers: (nodding) "Absolutely. I'm not saying we overhaul the playbook right now, but let's start small. We add a few pre-snap motions and one or two RPOs into practice, see how the guys handle it. If it clicks, we build from there."

Jagodzinski: (looking at McCarthy) "He's got a point, Mike. Defenses are getting faster, smarter. This could be our way to stay a step ahead."

McCarthy: (pausing, deep in thought before finally nodding) "Alright, Aaron. We'll give it a shot. But we're going to work on it in practice only. I'm not putting anything in the game until we're sure it works."

Rodgers: (smiling, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes) "Fair enough. You won't regret this, Coach."

McCarthy: (grinning slightly) "I hope you're right, kid. Because if this blows up, it's your neck on the line."

Rodgers: (without hesitation) "Trust me. This is going to change the way defenses play us."

Clements: (chuckling, shaking his head in disbelief) "You've got guts, Aaron. Alright, let's see what you've got. But remember, it's not just about drawing up plays. It's about execution."

Rodgers: (walking towards the door, turning back to face the coaches) "Then let's start executing. I'll get the guys ready for practice."

As I walked to the locker room to get changed I thought about Tom and Bellicheck one guy ran the offense and one guy ran the defense. And I realized not every coach was Andy Reid super creative and always having a solution. After working with Matt Lafleur in the future I realized I needed to constantly keep my mind open to new ways to run an offense. And in this life, I'd watch a lot more film, I needed to be able to run my offense. I needed to capitalize on winning now. As I am now I'm a freak in the league nobody could scramble out of the pocket and throw like I could.