Rodgers & Co. dealing with intestinal issues
Aaron Rodgers admitted he was feeling under the weather two days before the NFC Championship.
The Packers star confirmed Friday he is dealing with the same intestinal issue that has affected some of his teammates this week leading up to Sunday’s visit to Atlanta to face the Falcons.
“Rest, fluids, all that stuff,” Rodgers told reporters when asked how he was dealing with it. “We’ll be OK. Jordy [Nelson] had it. Mason [Crosby] had it. I got it. We’ll deal with it.”
Rodgers, who has been on an incredible hot streak the past eight games, didn’t want to make the situation more extreme than it was.
When a reporter prefaced his question by saying he “didn’t want to turn this into the [famous Michael] Jordan flu game,” Rodgers cut him off. “Then don’t,” Rodgers said. Rodgers’ health might be most pertinent for Green Bay, but he is far from the only prominent Packer dealing with medical issues.
The bulk of Green Bay’s receiving corps — Nelson (ribs), Davante Adams (ankle) and Geronimo Allison (hamstring) — are hobbled, although coach Mike McCarthy said all three would be “given every chance to play” against the Falcons.
The Packers’ injuries aren’t limited to offense, either. Safety Morgan Burnett was listed as questionable on the official injury report Friday with a bruised thigh suffered in last week’s divisional win over the Cowboys. Cornerback Quinten Rollins (concussion) also was listed as questionable. ➤ The Falcons’ most important injury question mark — star wide receiver Julio Jones — passed his final hurdle Friday and is expected to play Sunday.
Jones practiced for the first time since aggravating a sprained left toe in last week’s divisional win over the Seahawks, and Falcons coach Dan Quinn declared the All-Pro good to go against Green Bay.
“We were pleased with his response and how quickly he came back and had good bounce,” Quinn told reporters. “He ran hard, jumped, so he looked good.”
Atlanta media outlets reported Jones did not appear to favor the foot in the portion of Friday’s practice open to the media. Jones had called the injury “a snag” while talking to the media on Thursday.
Jones missed two games with a toe injury during the regular season before injuring it again in the second half against Seattle, forcing him to exit that game early.