If Aaron Rodgers ever runs out of grass to pick on the football field, wide receiver Allen Lazard has already volunteered to go purchase some more — especially if it helps the 39-year-old continue the type of play that has defined his career to this point.
During Episode 2 of “Hard Knocks,” which was aired Tuesday on HBO Max, a segment about Rodgers detailed his habit of picking blades of grass from the field to help with gauging the wind direction or strengthening his grip.
He did it, and repeated it, during a training camp session in Florham Park.
He did it again during a joint practice with the Panthers at Wofford College, too.
“I think I started doing that when it was a little cold in Green Bay, just to get a little extra dexterity rubbing the grass or dirt on your hands to be able to grip the ball a little bit better,” Rodgers said during an interview on the show. “It’s also a great way to see what way the wind’s blowing, which I think is an underrated part of practice sometimes.
“It’s just like a little moment of meditation on the field, just get down there and get with the elements and take a breath.”
That prompted Lazard and wideout Corey Davis, after Davis asked, to joke about Rodgers picking up the grass.
Lazard added that he’d “go buy some grass” when needed.
Rodgers throwing the ball in his direction with that acquired knowledge would serve as another bonus, too.
It marked the latest appearance of Rodgers as a central character in the show, though he didn’t exactly get the same honeymoon storylines as the first episode of “Hard Knocks.”
This time, some clips captured Rodgers’ struggles behind a spotty offensive line against the Panthers and his evolving chemistry with centers for snapping.
One sailed over his head during a training camp session, though Rodgers recovered to still get a throw off before pressure arrived.
Other segments showed his continuing mentorship of Zach Wilson in their 27-0 preseason win Saturday, as well as Rodgers joking with Panthers players about their soft coverage — and asking whether they “need a couple more guys out there, so you can drop eight” — after manufacturing some successful throws at the start of their joint session.
“When you hear him articulate the game, I’ve never heard anything like it, have you?” Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich told former Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme during the show, when the latter said Rodgers still makes it look as if everything operates in “slow motion” on offense.
“It’s unbelievable.”
