Like I have been saying for a long time - Rodgers is a passive-aggressive narcissist:
Aaron Rodgers is a Putz
This brings us to Aaron Rodgers, who again, is a putz.
Aaron Rodgers did wear such a shirt in mid-June, and much of the
Packers’ beat reported on it like
Rob Demovsky of ESPN did
:
![[Image: AAMxNjM.img?h=344&w=799&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f]](https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAMxNjM.img?h=344&w=799&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f)
© Provided by SB NationRob helpfully played the part of a character in the novel by entertaining the idea that Aaron Rodgers was so offended that he wore a shirt declaring that he was offended. It’s not entirely his fault, as it is the job of a journalist to lay out the facts rather than to psychoanalyze Aaron Rodgers, but even this line is a bit much. Rodgers wore the shirt to troll everyone, especially the front office, which would then receive questions about it. And most importantly, Rodgers wore it for attention.
The big lesson is to not judge people by what they say, but by what they do. Aaron’s shirt said he was offended, but the act of wearing it said more,
just like this amazing quote:
Quote:“Sometimes the loudest person in the room is not the smartest person,” Rodgers said. “Sometimes the loudest person in the room is not the person who has all the facts on their side or the truth on their side. Sometimes there’s a lot of wisdom in silence. Sometimes there’s a lot of wisdom in being selective on what you say. This offseason I’ve spent a lot of time working on myself.”
There are ten different ways to read and interpret this. Is it ripping Mark Murphy or Brian Gutekunst? Maybe. Is it self-reflection? Probably not, but one could interpret it that way. Is it just a nonsensical platitude? Was he unable to remember the old axiom “‘Tis better to remain silent and appear a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt?” Quite possibly. What we know for sure though, is that it’s ambiguous enough for anyone to spin it however they want and for the media to ask any question they want to any member of the Packer organization. Like the shirt, it says nothing, but is annoying.
And Rodgers keeps doing this. You may get the sense that Rodgers wishes to remain in private with his fiancée and is bothered by all the questions. The quote above gives off such an impression without explicitly saying it. Rodgers is implying
he would like to be silent. Sure, he’s saying he’d like to be silent while maybe suggesting that he deals with people less intelligent than him. But please respect his privacy. Tons of Rodgers non-answers over the past year convey the same message.
The fact is that Rodgers loves attention. He loves instagramming about his famous friends and significant other. He loves being on TV, hosting
Jeopardy!, and golfing against other football players. We know this, because he keeps doing it over, and over, and over. Again, what he says is in direct opposition to what he does.
Finally, we know he craves attention and derives pleasure from annoying people because of what he
doesn’t say. Rodgers could put all of this ambiguity about his future to rest with a few sentences. They don’t even have to be definitive sentences. “Yes, I’m playing with the Packers this year, and then we’ll take a look at my contract, and discuss the future.” That would be a totally fine thing to say. “I want to be traded, I’m not happy, and I’m not showing up.” Also, a fine thing to say, though obviously more controversial. Rodgers isn’t subject to some kind of “football player confidentiality.” He can put this to bed whenever he wants.
Instead, Rodgers just lets everyone continue to wonder, because Aaron likes people talking about Aaron, theorizing about Aaron, and feeling smarter than everyone because he knows something they don’t. Rodgers is the direct cause of all speculation about Rodgers, because he enjoys it and doesn’t care about the media, or about you, the fan.
It’s always worth keeping his favorite movie,
The Princess Bride, in mind. The entire saga that has unfolded since draft night is just like the famous
“game theory” scene between Cary Elwes and Wallace Shawn. In it, Elwes, as Wesley, knows that both cups have been poisoned and sits on his rock, mocking Shawn’s Vizzini while he attempts to suss out which he should drink. Rodgers’ statements this offseason are reminiscent of Wesley in this scene, who leans into every theory Vizzini has just to laugh at him under his mask and offers backhanded compliments about his “dizzying intellect,” secure in the knowledge that he has already won.
Rodgers doesn’t owe any of us anything, of course. He’s free to behave however he wants. But actual silence and actual privacy are options, and if he took them, it might be better for all involved. As it is, he continues to engage in trollish behavior because, well, he’s kind of a jerk. When Rodgers is eventually gone and playing for Gruden, Shanahan, or Fangio, I’ll miss his play at quarterback, but I won’t miss him, even a little.
The Mayo Clinic research group defines
narcissistic personality disorder as “a mental disorder in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance and a deep need for admiration. Those with narcissistic
personality disorder believe that they're superior to others and have little regard for other people's feelings. But behind this mask of ultra-
confidence lies a fragile
self-esteem, vulnerable to the slightest criticism.”
Passive-aggression can be defined as
anger, hostility, and/or
learned helplessness in disguise, expressed in covert ways to "even the score" and gain an underhanded advantage.
While many narcissists come across as openly grandiose and outwardly intrusive, some narcissists utilize passive-aggressive tactics as a primary way of fulfilling their selfish needs or to exact “
punishment” on those who fail to cater to their whims.
B) 