Watch: Aaron Rodgers tried to block Za’Darius Smith and it didn’t go well

Aaron Rodgers tried to throw a block on Za’Darius Smith and it ended exactly the way you probably thought it did. 

It was a rough Week 1 for the Green Bay Packers, but a particularly rough one for quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Things got off to a painfully slow start for the Packers, who didn’t put any points on the board until after halftime. Rodgers threw his first interception against an NFC North team since 2019, and was abused by the Vikings pass rush all afternoon.

What he lacked in production under center he failed to make up for in other areas of his game.

On the Packers first touchdown drive of the day, Rodgers tried to throw a block on Za’Darius Smith but it didn’t go the way he probably expected it would.

Thankfully Rodgers took it in stride and seemed to respect Smith for not holding back rather than get flustered over being blown up on the block.

Despite there seemingly being no hard feelings, one has to assume the block was particularly cathartic and satisfying for Smith. As noted during the broadcast, and highlighted by Smith this offseason, his exit from Green Bay wasn’t terribly pleasant and left such a sour taste in his mouth that he sought out signing with the Vikings as means for revenge.

Smith detailed his treatment by the Packers last season with a disdain that left him wanting revenge:

“I was like, ‘Damn, why am I being treated like this,” Smith said of how he was viewed after missing time due to his back injury. “I brought the culture. I helped change this s—. Why the f— am I the one being treated like that?’

Walking past me not saying nothing. ‘Z, how’s your back doing?’ There was none of that. As you can see, that adds on to why I’m on the other side. So, I can go back. I get to go back two times a year.”

Not only did he get his revenge on the block, but the Vikings absolutely obliterated the Packers for most of Week 1’s showdown.