This wasn’t the career that Aaron Rodgers is supposed to have. Nobody had high expectations of Rodgers, but that is the story of his life. A kid who didn’t get a single Division I scholarship after high school isn’t supposed to ever play a down in college, but Rodgers did just that after going to junior college before quarterbacking the Cal Bears in 2003 and 2004. Rodgers did fine at Cal, even considered to be a top pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. But Rodgers wasn’t an early pick, instead he sat in the green room at Radio City Hall and watched as QB-needy teams like Cleveland, Chicago, Arizona, and Kansas City pass him up. Rodgers waited and waited, only to be drafted 24th overall by the Packers, a team that at the time was being led by future hall-of-famer and all american boy Brett Favre. Rodgers rode the pine for three seasons as he watched Favre break the all-time touchdown record and take the Packers to consecutive playoff births. When Favre finally “retired”, it was Rodgers turn. He struggled, as any third year, first time starter would. The Packers went 6-10 that year in 2009, to many of us Rodgers just wasn’t supposed to ever do anything special. Then last year, Rodgers willed the Packers to the playoffs and on into the Super Bowl after barely winning the wild card. Before we knew it, Rodgers had transformed into more than an over-looked quarterback. He was a Super Bowl MVP and star in the league. Now, seven weeks into the 2011 season, Rodgers has become the best quarterback in football.
For years the pantheon of starting NFL quarterbacks was a two man club. it was always Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, in whatever order was your preference. Yeah, Drew Brees was always a great quarterback but many never had him in the same class as the other two. Last year Rodgers rocketed into the top-10 discussion, but nobody was thinking that he could punch a ticket into the pantheon. Now, Rodgers sits on the throne alone. Manning, although injured and surely out for the year, is still one of the leagues best. Brady has proven time and time again that he won’t lose more than 2-3 games a year, and don’t even think about giving him the ball in the last two minutes. With Rodgers its different. When Rodgers is on the field, you honestly get the feel that he can throw a touchdown or break a big play at any moment. Last week in Minnesota, Rodgers made a play that I had never seen before. Under heavy pressure from Jared Allen, Rodgers scrambled right, then quickly turned around and scrambled left. He sprinted towards the sidelines, his eyes down field the entire time. As Rodgers made his way to the edge of the field, Rodgers, while still on the move, ever so gently leaped off the ground and rocketed a perfectly accurate pass 20 yards downfield into the arms of James Jones. It was absolutely incredible. For Rodgers, it was routine.
Rodgers is like the love child of all-time great quarterbacks. The mobility of John Elway. The arm of Dan Marino. Accuracy of Manning, and the ice water veins of Brady. He can make the most difficult play seem like a man playing ball against teenagers. This season, Rodgers has thrown just three interceptions to 20 touchdowns. He’s completed 71.5% of his throws, and his lowest QB rating of the season was 111.4 against the Bears. Rodgers’ lowest QB rating his higher than Matt Ryan’s best rating of the season. The only comparable season to Rodgers’ this year is that of Brady in 2007. Brady threw 50 touchdowns and eight interceptions while leading the Patriots to an 18-1 season. Rodgers may not throw for 50 scores this season, but his passing yards, interceptions, and completion percentage all could be better than Brady’s in 2007.
The scariest thing about Rodgers is that he’s only 27 and has had no history of injury problems. The man is only just entering the prime of his career, and this year could just be a sign of whats yet to come. I’ve been watching football for 15+ years, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a quarterback be able to do the things that Rodgers can do. He can come through in the clutch just like Brady. He can fix broken plays with his feet in the same tenacity that Mike Vick does for the Eagles. Rodgers, to put it simply, is the best in the business, and it is only going to get better from here.
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