When it comes to the iron fist of the NFL, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has a unique perspective on the league's latest attempt to suspend several players.
Not only is Rodgers teammates with two of the players who are being threatened with suspension -- Julius Peppers and Clay Matthews -- but he's also a former teammate of one of the other players (Mike Neal) involved in the league's Al Jazeera investigation.
Although some players might not be willing to speak out against the NFL, Rodgers had no problem calling the league out during an interview with Jim Rome on Wednesday.
The Packers quarterback said that the league's latest investigation is setting a "bad precedent." The league has threatened to suspend Matthews, Peppers, Neal and James Harrison if they don't cooperate with the Al Jazeera investigation by Aug. 25.
"I think it's pretty typical of how things have been going with [the NFL] lately," Rodgers said on the "Jim Rome Show" on CBS Sports Radio. "It sets a bad precedent."
The allegations against the four players were made in December in a report that was released by Al Jazeeera America. Peyton Manning was also named in the report, but he has since been cleared. Much of the report was based on the testimony of Charlie Sly, who has since recanted everything he said.
One of Rodgers' biggest problems with the NFL's investigation is that the league is holding an investigation despite the fact that there's no proof of anything after Sly recanted his testimony. Without proof, the Packers quarterback sees the investigation as a situation where the league is bullying the players involved, Rodgers also pointed out that the league could "bully" anyone into an interview even if there's no proof of wrongdoing.
"I think that any wild accusation -- accredited, legitimate or unlegitimate -- they're going to try and bully these guys into testifying," Rodgers said.
The two-time MVP also added that the entire investigation is a black eye for the NFL.
"It looks bad for the league, especially after Peyton got cleared and this thing has been, there's been some holes shot at it, but I'm confident those guys have nothing to hide and they will work something out," Rodgers said. "I just think as far as the league goes, there's been some negative things that have come their way and the way they've responded is maybe not been the best way to handle it."
Rodgers also said that the Packers will "stand by [Peppers and Matthews] 100 percent."
Despite the fact that Rodgers doesn't seem to be a fan of the investigation, he didn't pin any blame on Roger Goodell for handing out the punishments when Rome asked him if Goodell has too much power.
"If that is the case, we have nobody to blame but ourselves because we had the opportunity in the CBA to make some legitimate changes to that," Rodgers said. "I think there's probably too much pressure to come back to a deal when we had all the power on our side and that was something we should have had negotiated into the CBA, because this shouldn't be someone who is judge, jury, and executioner."
With the clock ticking -- Peppers and Matthews will be suspended indefinitely if they don't interview with the NFL by Aug. 25 -- Rodgers thinks something will get done.
"I mean there's no way it's going to cost them [any games], I don't think, in this case," Rodgers said.
Rodgers' comments come just a few days after he was asked why NFL players don't speak out on social issues. The quarterback said that, for most players, there was a "fear" of repercussion from the NFL. Clearly, Rodgers isn't worried any repercussion that might come with denouncing the league's latest investigation.
