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| - Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers triggered fresh speculation about his future on Tuesday after failing to report for the start of mandatory pre-season workouts, reports said. The 2020 NFL MVP -- who has reportedly told the Packers management that he wants to leave the team -- did not appear for a team meeting early Tuesday ahead of the three-day mini-camp. The 37-year-old star has already skipped voluntary offseason workouts amid uncertainty over his future in Green Bay. Packers coach Matt LaFleur downplayed Rodgers' absence in comments to reporters on Tuesday. "I think anytime you're talking about any player on your football team, you'd love everybody to be here," LaFleur said. "So, you know, it's certainly... It is what it is, man. We'll focus and we'll control and work on the guys that are here and try to help them become the best to their ability and coach the heck out of them." Rodgers' future has been shrouded in intrigue since last season's NFC Championship defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Lambeau Field. Rodgers said at the time his future in Green Bay was "uncertain" before later clarifying the remarks and saying he had been misconstrued. "Obviously, after the season that I had, and potentially winning MVP and we obviously made another good run, I don't think that there's any reason why I wouldn't be back," he said at the time. However reports in April said Rodgers had reconsidered his future and told the organisation he wanted to leave. Relations between Rodgers and the Packers had become strained in the wake of the 2020 Draft, when Green Bay raised eyebrows by swooping for quarterback Jordan Love -- assumed to be Rodgers' successor. Rodgers was blindsided by the move, later admitting he was not "thrilled" by the recruitment. rcw/dmc
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