The Green Bay Packers had a 7-6 record entering the game against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, and they needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. After being on injured reserve for eight weeks, their star QB Aaron Rodgers was back in the starting line-up, ready to lead the Packers to victory. Except, he didn’t. Now that Packers’ don’t have a chance to make a postseason, they have returned Rodgers on injured reserve once again. Brett Hundley will take over the starting quarterback position, while the team also signed Joe Callahan to the 53-man roster.
#Packers place QB Aaron Rodgers on injured reserve & sign QB Joe Callahan.
Roster moves 📰: https://t.co/kY3MT2NPjf pic.twitter.com/hoQkpJb9xA
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) December 19, 2017
“It’s what we felt was best for Aaron,” – said Packers’ coach Mike McCarthy. “He was sore, took a number of hits. We felt this was the best decision.” McCarthy also added that Rodgers was not happy with the decision to get back on IR.
In the 24-31 game against the Panthers, Rodgers didn’t have his best showing. Although he threw three touchdowns, he also had three interceptions and was sacked three times while being hit 12 times. Rodgers’ completion rate was 57.8 for 290 yards. The Packers still had slim hopes after the defeat to reach the playoffs, but they ended when the Atlanta Falcons defeated Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday.
For Joe Callahan, who will serve as a backup for Brett Hundley, this will be the third time he has become a part of the Green Bay Packers active roster. After going undrafted in the 2016 NFL Draft, Callahan signed with the Packers. He had 499 yards and three touchdowns in the preseason, which led the team to assign him to their active roster. The Packers released him in October 2016 and he spent a short time with the New Orleans Saints and the Cleveland Browns, before rejoining the Packers’ practice squad and becoming a part of the active roster in December 2016.
