Aaron Rodgers embraced by fan base during Packers’ first day of training camp

Fans embrace Rodgers as Packers open camp practice

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is entering his second season as a starter more comfortable, more confident and fully embraced by the fans.

Other than one teenager wearing a No. 4 New York Jets jersey, fans who showed up to watch the Green Bay Packers’ first day of practice Saturday seemed solidly behind Rodgers. Last year, Brett Favre’s unretirement saga split fan loyalties between the team’s once and future leaders.

“I think Aaron proved himself for the fans to be able to stand behind him and give that support,” running back Ryan Grant said. “But it’s always nice. We rally around that support. Fans don’t know how important that is.”

After a somewhat rocky reception last year, Rodgers now feels like he has earned fans’ support.

“I felt pretty embraced last year,” Rodgers said. “I think the response at the end of the season was great. But definitely, the fans are very supportive. And in Green Bay it’s a first-name basis, so they call you Aaron, they want to talk to you about football and they love it. This place is like no other place in the country to play football in.”

With Favre squabbling with the Packers’ front office over his last-minute desire to unretire at the beginning of last year’s training camp, Rodgers was left in the unenviable position of trying to prepare for his first season as a starter with fans chanting “Bring Brett back” during practice.

“As professionals, we’ve got to deal with distractions,” Rodgers said. “So obviously last year, there was a distraction that we had to deal with. … It is definitely a little more relaxed this year.”

Rodgers went on to complete 63.6 percent of his passes for 4,038 yards with 28 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, playing through a painful shoulder injury for a significant portion of the 2008 season.

But the team went a disappointing 6-10. Now the Favre retirement circus has long since left town, and the Packers aren’t getting much national attention.

“We don’t have a problem with that at all,” Grant said. “I think over the past couple years, we’ve had enough to (last) us for a while. We’ll take ‘underneath the radar,’ and just focus on the football aspect.”

Wide receiver Donald Driver, one of Favre’s few close friends still playing for the Packers, sent Favre a text message after he decided to remain retired instead of joining the division rival Minnesota Vikings this season.

Asked what the future holds for Favre, Driver joked that it might involve “chasing raccoons and killing squirrels,” given Favre’s affinity for hunting.

Still, Driver wasn’t willing to completely rule out the possibility of a Favre comeback.

“I don’t know,” Driver said. “We’ve all got to sit back and wait. I’m not going to say he’s going to come back, (or) he’s going to retire. Right now, I know he’s done, and I wish the best for him.”

Favre’s future aside, his successor in Green Bay appears to have solidly established himself as a leader.

“He’s the general of this team, and we’re going to go as far as he goes,” Grant said. “And the confidence that he has is second to none.”