Aaron Rodgers Insists McCarthy Relationship Is Fine, Wants More Efficient Offense

Aaron Rodgers has downplayed talks of a potential rift between him and Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy after talks of a breakdown in their relationship surfaced after the team’s 22-0 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

The Packers quarterback questioned the offensive game plan after the shutout against the Bills suggesting they should have won by a much bigger margin. It sounded like he was questioning McCarthy’s plan which raised speculations about a rift between the team’s head coach and the star quarterback.

McCarthy was the first to downplay any rift with Rodgers and made it clear he has “good and proper relationships” with all his players especially with Rodgers with whom he has shared a long association.

"I have good relationships, proper relationships, with all of our players," McCarthy said, according to NFL.com. "Aaron and I, we have gone through a lot of years together, so I feel good about our relationship."

Rodgers, who has been playing through injury in the opening four games of the new NFL season, spoke to the media on Wednesday and echoed his coach’s comments and made it clear their relationship is not strained.

“Mike and I talk all the time; we have a great relationship," Rodgers told reporters Wednesday. "There's always been great communication between us, even if there is things that we need to talk about that are tough subjects, we've never had a problem finding time and talking. That's the way it's been for 10-plus years."

"Communication is the basis for a good relationship, wouldn't you say? I think it is. For any relationship, it starts with good communication and being able to be honest with each other, and then hug it out afterward,” the Packers quarterback added.

The Packers secured their second win to go 2-1-1 for the season, but they currently rank 17th in total offense in the league, while Rodgers ranks 13th in passer rating at 97.4 with seven touchdowns and an interception in four games, according to Pro Football Talk.

The quarterback, however, is still not happy with the numbers the team are putting up in offense and has called on his team to be more efficient during games — mainly referring to the dropped passes and field goals instead of touchdowns during the game against the Bills.

"You've got to keep the conversation going. We've got to find ways to be more efficient on offense although, like I said Sunday afternoon, the numbers might have looked good -- [423] yards and 50 percent-plus on third down -- but the execution wasn't where it needs to be," he said.

“I'm always going to hold myself and this offense to a higher standard. I've got to play better and we've got to play better, because last week was unacceptable. We put the ball on the ground too many times, threw an interception. We've got to play better,” Rodgers explained.