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GREEN BAY, Wis. — Tom Clements, one of many coaches Aaron Rodgers has lengthy credited for his improvement throughout his early days within the NFL, is popping out of retirement to return to the Green Bay Packers as quarterbacks coach.
Clements verbally accepted the job on Thursday, a supply advised ESPN. The transfer turned official Friday.
Whereas there’s the plain connection to Rodgers, a supply mentioned Clements’ arrival does not assure that the reigning NFL MVP will return to the Packers, however slightly is one other transfer that the Packers hope will persuade Rodgers to return again.
Clements was with the Packers from 2006 to 2016. He was most just lately the Arizona Cardinals‘ quarterbacks coach however retired following the 2020 season. He didn’t coach between the top of his time with the Packers and becoming a member of the Cardinals in 2019 and likewise didn’t coach this previous season.
The 68-year-old served as certainly one of Rodgers’ first place coaches within the NFL. He got here to Inexperienced Bay in Rodgers’ second season, when Mike McCarthy was employed as coach. Clements coached the place from 2006 to ’11, presiding over Rodgers’ Tremendous Bowl season of 2010 and first MVP season of 2011. He turned offensive coordinator in 2012. When McCarthy gave up playcalling in 2015, he turned that job over to Clements and named him affiliate head coach. Nonetheless, McCarthy took playcalling duties again later that season. Clements remained on the workers for yet one more season.
Regardless that it has been greater than 5 years since he labored with Clements, Rodgers nonetheless often brings Clements up when he talks in regards to the keys to taking part in the place. It occurred most just lately in January throughout the week main as much as the Packers’ playoff recreation in opposition to the San Francisco 49ers.
“I am grateful, deeply grateful, to guys like Joe Philbin and Tom Clements and Alex Van Pelt, who’ve helped me perceive that aspect of management and being a quarterback,” Rodgers mentioned final month. He additionally referenced Clements late within the common season when speaking a couple of ball he threw to Davante Adams early within the Week 17 recreation in opposition to the Vikings.
“I discovered from Tom Clements, we all the time had three mortal sins [as] the quarterback: Do not throw late down the center, do not make any blind throws and no premeditated selections,” Rodgers mentioned. “And so with all apologies to Tom and his wonderful coaching over time, I sort of had a premeditated resolution to throw it to Davante on that play.”
The information of the Packers’ curiosity in Clements was first reported by the Professional Soccer Community earlier than an settlement had been reached.
Clements will change Luke Getsy, who was employed because the Chicago Bears‘ offensive coordinator final month.
Clements is the second coach employed this offseason with ties to Rodgers. Final week, they employed certainly one of Rodgers’ former school teammates at Cal, Byron Storer, as their assistant particular groups coach. However Storer’s ties are extra to new particular groups coordinator Wealthy Bisaccia than Rodgers. Storer served in the identical capability underneath Bisaccia the previous 4 seasons with the Raiders.
As of Thursday, Rodgers had not knowledgeable the Packers about his plans for the 2022 season — whether or not to return to Inexperienced Bay, request a commerce or retire — a supply mentioned.
When requested final week what he nonetheless needed to weigh earlier than making a call, Rodgers mentioned: “It simply comes right down to sort of weighing the place I am at mentally and understanding what the dedication is and sort of making a dedication and all people shifting ahead.”
Additionally, OLB coach Mike Smith is leaving the Packers to pursue different alternatives, a supply mentioned. This didn’t come out of the blue and has been in dialogue for some time, per the supply. The crew agreed to let him do this and may have a brand new OLB coach.
The Packers employed Jason Rebrovich to switch Smith. Rebrovich was with the Jaguars from 2017-20, most just lately as defensive position coach the place he helped develop Josh Allen. Earlier than that he on the Payments workers from 2013-16 in varied defensive capacities together with exterior linebackers coach and defensive position coach.
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