Las Vegas Raiders

Woodson still has 'special' connection to Green Bay despite release

Published Dec. 16, 2015 10:15 p.m. ET

Sam Gardner

Earlier this week, Oakland Raiders safety Charles Woodson got a bit salty when talking about this Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers, telling ESPN that he's enjoyed forcing the Packers to "eat their words" since the team released him nearly three years ago.

On Wednesday, however, 39-year-old Woodson showed his softer side when discussing the seven seasons he spent in Green Bay, and opened up about how fondly he remembers his tenure with the team.

"It's special," Woodson said in advance of his first regular-season game against the Packers since 2003, during his first stint in Oakland. "I spent seven years in Green Bay, had a lot of good times, a lot of great years, got a lot accomplished. But it's your old team. I moved on from there a couple years ago and now they're the opponent. So yeah, there's a little something there."

After eight seasons with the Raiders, Woodson signed with the Packers in 2006 and played in Green Bay until the team parted ways with the future Hall of Famer in February 2013. During that time, Woodson won a Super Bowl and made two All-Pro teams, and while he says he was initially hesitant about coming to the area, he quickly became rooted in community.

"I think it's just giving things a chance," Woodson said of his fondest memories of his tenure with the Packers. "It's been documented over and over about when I first went there and kind of the apprehension about going there. But man, just getting there and finally getting entrenched within the Packer community and all the people in Wisconsin and being around that organization and the uniqueness that it has — I just had to give it a chance."

Woodson wasn't entirely complimentary of his ex-team, and said that he's felt vindicated by his quality play for Oakland. Through 13 games this year, Woodson has intercepted five passes and recovered three fumbles for the Raiders.

"I pay close attention to it," Woodson said of the Packers' secondary struggles in the seasons since his departure. "When you're let go, released, whatever, the message is that you're not good enough to play out there and they've got something better to offer."

Of course, the same could be said for virtually every other team in the league, so it's not something personal with just Green Bay.

"From the time I left, I felt like I've showed not only Green Bay but people in the NFL period (that I can still play)," Woodson said. "There weren't people knocking my door down to come play for them, so they weren't the only ones who felt like I was pretty much done in the NFL. But each time, each year I've come back, I felt like I've proven not only to other people, but to myself, that this is what I was supposed to be doing."

While Woodson won't be back at Lambeau this weekend — Sunday's game is in Oakland; Woodson played a preseason game in Green Bay last season — he says he'll have a bit of his second home in his heart for the rest of his life.

"I spent seven years there, won a championship, Player of the Year, got married there," Woodson said when asked if his brother, Jonathan Patton, a restaurant owner in Green Bay, keeps him close with the community. "My youngest son was born there. So I'm always going to be connected, regardless. There's always going to be love between me and Green Bay."

You can follow Sam Gardner on Twitter or email him at samgardnerfox@gmail.com.