Aaron Rodgers

House Speaker Ryan visits Packers training camp

Published Jul. 28, 2016 4:30 p.m. ET

foxsports

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Politics was out of bounds on Thursday for House Speaker Paul Ryan at Green Bay Packers training camp.

Before taking questions from reporters, the Wisconsin Republican said with a smile that he was only talking football.

"Sports only. Trump-free zone," joked Ryan, referring to the GOP presidential nominee.

Ryan couldn't stop smiling as he met coach Mike McCarthy and his favorite player, quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Ryan chatted football with team president Mark Murphy. Wearing a green Packers polo shirt, Ryan even got to speak to the team as they huddled around him at midfield.

"I just closed with saying `Go Pack,'" Ryan recounted to reporters after practice . "Look, I'm used to giving a lot of speeches. I was actually pretty nervous talking to these guys. As just a lifelong Packer fan, it was just a pretty cool experience, just to meet the team."

Ryan is home with Congress on recess. Besides joining hundreds of other fans watching practice, Ryan said he was also in Green Bay to take part in a documentary with the NFL.

"We keep ourselves healthy, I feel like we can go all the way this year, and I don't just say that every year. I feel really good about our team this year," Ryan said.

Ryan planned to go the Rock County 4-H Fair back in his southern Wisconsin district later Thursday with his family. He said he would watch presidential candidate Hilary Clinton's acceptance speech on television at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in the evening.