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Packers wraps things up after Super season
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo
Green Bay Packers' Nick Collins (36) celebrates with teammate Clay Matthews (52) after returning an interception for a touchdown during the first quarter of the NFL football Super Bowl XLV game against the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011, in Arlington, Texas.
Associated Press
Green Bay, Wis. .
The Green Bay Packers took one last chance to say goodbye to their fans and each other.
Tuesday was a final day to publicly celebrate their Super Bowl-winning season, and the Packers did it in style in front of more than 56,000 fans who paid $5 to spend a final hour with their team for the first time in 36 days.
The last time the Packers were at Lambeau Field, they beat division rival Chicago in a must-win game that propelled them to a championship run, ending with the return of the Lombardi Trophy to Titletown after 14 years with a 31-25 win over Pittsburgh on Sunday.
In the locker room, almost everything was cleared out except for a three-deep line where players claimed their game-worn Super Bowl jerseys and Super Bowl locker nameplates before heading off.
The players who lingered included several with uncertain futures in the franchise that’s been built with depth in the draft by Thompson.
Whenever free agency begins, Green Bay will have questions.
“It’s where my journey began and hopefully it’ll be where it ends, but I told them I do understand that there’s a business side involved,” said defensive end Cullen Jenkins, who is unsigned headed into next season.
Linebacker Nick Barnett has two years left on his contract, but the former first-round pick who spent most of the season on injured reserve may be too pricey to bring back after the emergence of several quality backups.
“It’s going to be hard to deny my hunger that I’m going to show coming into training camp next year, but we’ll see what happens,” Barnett said.
Just when anyone might start training camp so that Green Bay can begin its title defense is unknown.
The NFL’s collective bargaining agreement expires at the end of the day March 3, and barring an agreement before then, owners can lock out the players.
What’s certain is Packers’ fans will wait patiently for their team to return to the NFL’s smallest market.
“You’re clearly an energy force for our football team,” coach Mike McCarthy told fans.