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AMERICAN CENTURY CHAMPIONSHIP

July 14, 2011

Aaron Rodgers

STATELINE, NEVADA

AARON RODGERS: A lot of guys got a chance last year. Played really well. Rebuilding, reloading. And now we're going to take some shots this year. Big target on our back. Excited about it.

Q. Were you guys like some of the other teams in this off season where you met on your own and worked out?
AARON RODGERS: No.

Q. None whatsoever?
AARON RODGERS: No.

Q. Are you worried about that at all?
AARON RODGERS: Not in the least. Nobody in the organization is worried about it.

Q. Why? Just comparing it to other teams, I have to ask it.
AARON RODGERS: Well, first of all, we won the Super Bowl.

Q. That's a good why.
AARON RODGERS: Second of all, we've got the same coaching staff coming back. Six years with the offense. Tom is in his third year. I don't think anybody's worried about it. I think the biggest issue we have in Green Bay is nobody lives there. I was talking to Tony out there. They have 80 percent of the guys live in Dallas, part of the team. It's easy to get guys together when that's the case. But when you have guys all over the coast, south, north, it's a little bit more difficult.
But if Coach McCarthy was worried about it at all, and if I was worried about it, or if Charles was worried about it, we would put something together. But we've all talked at different times. We talked to Mike at the ring ceremony. I think you've obviously seen his comments about how he feels.
Charles and I are confident that -- I can promise you, anything that's going on in those workouts, that's not winning games on Sunday. That's going to help a team chemistry maybe but that's not winning games on Sunday.

Q. How has your world changed post-Super Bowl? Are people treating you different, besides 500 interviews out here?
AARON RODGERS: Just a little bit more recognizable when I'm out and about. But more opportunities. Bigger platform. It's been great to be able to use that platform to work with organizations like the Mack Fund that I work with in Wisconsin. I enjoy those opportunities.

Q. What kind of Chico gallery are you getting out here?
AARON RODGERS: A lot. A lot of comments about PV High School or Butte College, comments about different spots, night life spots they might like to frequent. So a lot of Chico people.

Q. Anything that you did to reward yourself for a Super Bowl win?
AARON RODGERS: Not really. I was so tired from the season. It was such a long year, I just needed a break. I took the first two months, and instead of going on vacation like I usually do and go to Australia or out of the country somewhere, I just had a good time, relaxed, got back to my workout schedule and just stayed on the West Coast. It was nice.

Q. In Chico do you stay at home?
AARON RODGERS: Yeah. I have a home in San Diego. So I'm between both places.

Q. Being a Dallas guy, I apologize for the Super Bowl weather. Bad week. But when I talked to --
AARON RODGERS: Used to it.

Q. Dallas wasn't, as you can see, obviously, by the news. But when I talked to Mason about that, he said that you all used that weather to not necessarily bond because obviously you had bonded throughout the year, but stayed focused and you all were just being indoors and being kind of stuck with the weather, you all were just, even to me, focused more; do you agree with that? Basically you all weren't able to get in trouble.
AARON RODGERS: Well, we have a good team. We don't have a lot of distractions like that. I think it starts with Mike McCarthy and Ted Thompson, their philosophies and the kind of guys they brought in.
But I haven't been worried -- I wasn't worried this last year about character issues of the other guys. Especially the Super Bowl. We were there to win a game. There's obviously a lot of distractions.
I think Mike did a good job keeping guys focused.

Q. How anxious are you to get back out there?
AARON RODGERS: I miss the guys. I miss the chemistry. I miss seeing them. As crazy as it might sound, I miss the structure when I have to be up at 6:30 and be in the stadium and having that accomplished feeling when you get to go home at the end of the day, you miss that, you miss the guys. So I'm looking forward to it. I'm going to enjoy these next three days.

Q. Do you stay in touch with your teammates?
AARON RODGERS: Yes.

Q. I'm wondering what you learned as a high school student that you now use ethically and for character in your career?
AARON RODGERS: As a high school student?

Q. Through your coaches, through the football programs.
AARON RODGERS: I was fortunate to have a couple of great parents who raised me and taught me a lot about work ethic and discipline, finishing what you started. Integrity. Humility. Things that you try and work on. I don't think you ever maybe master some of those things. But you try and exhibit in your own life.
I had two or three teachers that really influenced me a lot, taught me about life, and just how to conduct yourself. I had some other older mentors in my life who, one especially, who taught me about treating people a certain way. And it comes back to you and treating the little people as well as you treat the people who are deemed important in our society. I think it carries over to the way I like to lead on our team. Making sure the guy No. 53 on the roster, whoever that is, feels as important as a Charles Woodson or Greg Jennings or Donald Driver, because they're as important. They have a big role for our team.

Q. Character is so important now with people, NFL players getting in trouble with the law. As a role model, do you think that reflects on you as a whole and the NFL as a whole?
AARON RODGERS: Yeah, without a doubt. And it's a privilege to play in the NFL and a responsibility to conduct yourself in a way that reflects positively not only on yourself and your family but your organization.
I think the Green Bay organization has been built on tradition and integrity and being a community-based team. I think that reminds us it's a privilege. We have a responsibility to conduct yourself a certain way. Some guys have forgotten it at times.

Q. Jimmer Fredette said you called him when he won the college award; you told him you were a Kings fan. Any other thoughts you got to share with him?
AARON RODGERS: I'm a sports fan. So I was a fan of what he did in college. And anybody who can shoot like that I'm a little envious, for sure. Strokes all over the place. And I've been a Kings fan for a long time. They've had some rough seasons. I said, come on now, we gotta get this thing, get some wins.

Q. Any particular golfer you pattern yourself after or try to?
AARON RODGERS: I mean, style-wise, I'd like to say I'm a little bit behind Rickie Fowler, but maybe a little bit better than Boo Weekley, not to rip on boo, but doesn't he wear like a big old logo? No, my game is so limited, I'm just happy to be able to talk to Hank for a couple of minutes and get this thing squared away.

Q. Have you seen it gradually improve, your golf game, or because of the time restraints that's not going to happen?
AARON RODGERS: I played less this season than I normally would because I've been pulled in a lot more different directions. And I've been tired. Instead of going out and walking 18 holes, I just relax.

Q. Physical exhaustion or emotional?
AARON RODGERS: Both. I think you need a month really to let your body get back and longer than that to get your rest emotionally. It's a draining year both physically and emotionally, and a lot of fun when it ends the way it did.

Q. After coming off that year, the thought of not being able to jump right back into it if the season didn't start, that would be kind of disheartening.
AARON RODGERS: Yeah, I mean, we want to play. But we need a deal that's fair for both sides. And it's obviously not yet.

Q. Seems like it's getting closer.
AARON RODGERS: We'll see.

Q. Which celebrity or athlete out here are you the most impressed with?
AARON RODGERS: Most impressed? I don't know. There's so many fun guys you get to meet and hang out with. I got to spend time with Javier Colon on the plane ride back from the ESPYs. He's a classy guy.
And watching the show and knowing his story, it's fun to see somebody who has worked so hard achieve the kind of success he deserves. He's an incredible talent, and it's fun to be able to rub shoulders with guys like that and get to know them.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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