GREEN BAY, Wis. — Donald Driver was not able to join his Green Bay Packers teammates for the first offseason practice session on Tuesday. After all, Driver was only a few hours away from finding out if he had won "Dancing with the Stars."
But with speculation rampant all offseason that Driver may not be back with the Packers, coach Mike McCarthy seemingly made it clear that the franchise’s all-time leading receiver will return to Green Bay for a 14th season.
"I would anticipate he'd be involved in the workouts next week," McCarthy said.
A week earlier, Driver posted a Twitter message that hinted he would return to the Packers.
"Hello everyone: I'm a packer for life," Driver tweeted. "It will never change. Go Pack Go!!!!"
Though all signs point toward Driver, 37, continuing his career with the Packers, there was plenty of doubt throughout the first four months of the offseason.
As Driver cleaned out his locker the day after the home playoff loss to the New York Giants in mid-January, he started to accept the possibility that the Packers could release him.
"If I get an opportunity to come back and play, I will," Driver said at the time. "If not, I’ll go somewhere else and play, and I’ll see them down the road. The thing is, it’s not up to me. The Packers have to make that decision."
Driver’s production drastically declined from the 2009 season to the Packers’ Super Bowl-winning season in 2010. Driver gained more than 1,000 yards receiving in six consecutive seasons from 2004 to '09, but over the last two seasons, he’s had only 565 yards in 2010 and 445 yards last season.
"If they decide to go a different route with the young players, then I've got to go do what I want to do," Driver said in January. "Right now, I'm not ready to put the cleats up (and retire), so I guess I'll be going somewhere else to play (if released).
"I’ve always said I wanted to play until I’m 40. My goal is just to continue to play. I haven't lost a step on anyone. I’ll probably play until I’m 45. You never know. Wherever the road goes for me, I'm willing to follow it."
On draft weekend in late April, McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson were asked about Driver’s future with the team, but both were non-committal.
"I would never speculate on something like that," Thompson said when asked if Driver would be on the team next season. "He’s dancing right now. He’s doing good, too."
Later, McCarthy was asked the same question.
"No reason to speculate on that," the coach said. "I'm just going to follow Ted's answer to that question."
During Driver's run on "Dancing with the Stars," several Packers have watched him live on the set, including McCarthy, Clay Matthews and NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers.
"It was great to go see him last week, we had a lot of fun," Rodgers said Tuesday. "He’s done an incredible job with the show, and he’s been himself. His personality comes out on that show, and he did a great job (Monday) night. I voted last night a bunch of times, so hopefully he can bring that mirror ball (trophy) back."
Added Matthews: "I know he’s got all of Titletown behind him. From what he was able to accomplish on the dance floor, I think he did a pretty good job."
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