Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers is widely considered one of the most talented quarterbacks in the history of the National Football League (NFL), known for his record-setting accuracy and intensely focused playing style. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 2005 and was named the team's starting quarterback in 2008. He then established himself as a superstar, helping the Packers maintain their longstanding reputation as perennial playoff contenders. In the 2010 season Rodgers led Green Bay to victory in Super Bowl XLV and was named the Super Bowl MVP. His efforts in later seasons earned him regular-season MVP awards in 2011, 2014, 2020, and 2021, among numerous other awards and honors, and he set records and climbed the career leaderboards in many statistical categories. After fifteen years as the face of the Packers franchise, he was traded to the New York Jets in 2023.

Early Life & Background

Aaron Charles Rodgers was born in Chico, California, on December 2, 1983, to Ed and Darla Rodgers. He grew up with an older brother, Luke, and a younger brother, Jordan. Aaron's father was a former college football player, but did not allow his sons to play football until they reached high school. Nonetheless, Rodgers was the starting quarterback for two years for Pleasant Valley High School, in Chico, but attracted more attention for his baseball skills. Rodgers had a successful season as a pitcher during his senior year.

Having received no offers to play Division I college football, Rodgers opted to attend nearby Butte Community College. He played well, and transferred after one year to the University of California, Berkeley. As the quarterback for the Golden Bears, Rodgers would go on to set many university records, including the lowest interception rate in school history. Rodgers entered the NFL Draft in 2005, foregoing his senior year.

A Worthy Successor

Although Rodgers was a highly touted prospect in the 2005 NFL Draft, he was not taken as early as some observers expected. With the twenty-fourth overall pick, the Green Bay Packers selected Rodgers as their quarterback of the future. However, for Rodgers, that meant a prolonged stint as backup to famed quarterback Brett Favre, who had started every Packers game since September 1992 and was waffling over retirement as he entered the twilight of his career. Favre was traded to the New York Jets in 2008, paving the way for Rodgers to become the Packers' starting quarterback.

While many Packers fans decried the loss of Favre, who had come to define the Green Bay organization, Rodgers settled into the situation with aplomb. He began the season with an impressive streak of consecutive passes thrown without an interception. Although the Packers did not make the playoffs, they signed Rodgers to a six-year, $65 million contract extension in the offseason.

Rodgers continued to build his reputation in the 2009 season, leading the Packers to the postseason. However, although he threw for over 400 yards and four touchdowns in that first playoff appearance, the Packers were defeated by the Arizona Cardinals in what became the highest scoring playoff game in NFL history. At the conclusion of the 2009 season, Rodgers was named to the NFL's Pro Bowl and was named starting quarterback for the National Football Conference (NFC) in the exhibition game (replacing an injured Favre).

Super Bowl Champion

Entering the 2010 season, the Packers were considered a potent offensive team. Rodgers performed well during the regular season, but Green Bay finished with a middling 10–6 record and only made the postseason as a wild card team. Slotted as the sixth seed and lacking home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, the path to Super Bowl glory would be an uphill one. However, Rodgers proved up to the challenge, turning in one of the greatest postseason performances by an NFL quarterback.

The Packers never trailed the Philadelphia Eagles in the first game of the playoffs, with Rodgers tossing three touchdowns in the win. Next, in what has often been considered one of the best games of his career, he dismantled the Atlanta Falcons in the divisional playoffs, throwing for three more touchdowns. The Packers capped off a successful run through the conference, all on the road, when they defeated the Chicago Bears in the conference championship, despite a struggling performance from Rodgers. They then earned the right to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.

On his biggest stage yet, Rodgers shined. In leading the Packers past the Steelers, he threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns, earning Super Bowl MVP honors. With the win, the Packers became just the second team ever to win the Super Bowl as the sixth seed. Rodgers posted a passer rating of 136.8 through the entire postseason, the highest in league history among quarterbacks with at least thirty-five pass attempts.

Further Career Success

With a Super Bowl Championship on his resume, Rodgers continued to establish himself as one of the premier quarterbacks in the NFL. During the 2011 season, he was named a First-Team All Pro for the first time and threw for 45 touchdowns and a career-high 4,643 yards. He led the league in many statistical categories, including an NFL record-setting 122.5 passer rating. His performance earned him his first AP NFL MVP title, selection as 2011 AP Males Athlete of the Year, and a starting spot in the Pro Bowl. Rodgers led the Packers to a league-best 15–1 record, earning their first NFC North title since 2007 and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. However, they lost to the eventual champion New York Giants, 37–20, in the NFC divisional playoff round.

Disappointing playoff losses would become a theme for Rodgers, as he was ultimately unable to bring the Packers back to the Super Bowl. However, he continued to excel at the individual level and frequently led Green Bay to strong regular-season success. He was again nominated for the Pro Bowl after leading the league in touchdown percentage and quarterback rating for the 2012 season. Though Rodgers struggled with an injury during the 2013 season, he returned to help the Packers win another NFC North title before losing to the San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs. His 2014 season was even more impressive, as he led the league in several advanced statistical categories and earned his second NFL MVP Award, as well as AP All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. The Packers went 12–4 and clinched another division title. They then beat the Dallas Cowboys in the divisional playoffs to reach the NFC Championship Game, but lost to the Seattle Seahawks.

After a relative down year in 2015, Rodgers bounced back in 2016, surpassing 4,400 passing yards and leading the league with 40 touchdown passes. The Packers returned to the NFC Championship Game, but lost to the Atlanta Falcons. He then was forced to sit out half of the 2017 season due to a fractured collarbone. He returned to form the next season, after signing a $134 million contract extension with the Packers that brought him recognition as the highest paid player in the NFL. During the 2018 regular season Rodgers compiled 4,442 passing yards and 25 touchdowns with just 2 interceptions, but the Packers overall underperformed to a 6–9–1 record. The team's fortunes turned around in 2019, as they went 13–3 and won the NFC North behind Rodgers's 4,002 passing yards and 26 touchdown passes. In the playoffs they defeated the Seahawks in the divisional playoffs but lost the conference championship game to the 49ers.

During the 2020 season Rodgers again led the league in touchdown passes, with 48, and also posted league-best marks in several other categories, including touchdown rate, interception rate, quarterback rating, and passer rating. He led the Packers to a strong 13–3 record for the second straight year and they reached the NFC Championship Game once more, though they lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Rodgers was named NFL MVP for the third time thanks to his stellar play. He put up a remarkably similar performance in 2021, earning a rare consecutive NFL MVP Award after throwing for 4,115 yards and 37 touchdowns and leading the league in passer and quarterback ratings, among other categories. During the season he surpassed Favre as Green Bay's all-time leader in touchdown passes. The Packers went 13–4 in the regular season, but they lost to the 49ers in the divisional playoff round.

Despite an extended period of uncertainty over whether Rodgers would return to play for the Packers following the 2021 season, he signed a three-year contract extension with the team in March 2022. The deal was valued at over $150 million, setting another NFL record for highest average annual value. Rodgers and the Packers disappointed in 2022, however, finishing 8–9 and missing the postseason. Rumors continued to swirl of major tensions between the star quarterback and the Packers organization, and soon it became widely expected that he would be traded or retire. This came to fruition in April 2023, as the Packers traded Rodgers to the New York Jets for several draft picks. By the summer, he and the Jets had finished negotiating his new contract. However, his starting stint with the Jets ultimately proved short-lived when he severely injured his Achilles tendon during his offense's initial drive in the first game of the regular season. The Jets placed him on injured reserve and he missed the remainder of the season. He underwent surgery to repair the tendon.

Rodgers took the field at the start of the 2024 season, and, although he showed some flashes of his old self, he struggled at times, pacing New York with 281 passing yards in a week two game against New England but coming up short in a week four loss to Denver.

Personal Life

As one of the biggest stars in the NFL, Rodgers's personal life was frequently covered in the media. He had high-profile romantic relationships with actor Olivia Munn and auto racer Danica Patrick. He became engaged to actor Shailene Woodley in early 2021, but the engagement was called off in 2022.

In his free time, Rodgers was active in charity work. He was frequently featured in advertisements and made many other television appearances, including a well-received turn as guest host of the popular game show Jeopardy in 2021. In 2018 he became a part owner of the Milwaukee Bucks NBA team.

Rodgers also developed a reputation for being critical of the mainstream media and occasionally stirring debate with intentionally provocative comments. He generated considerable attention for his outspoken support of alternative medicine. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 he sparked controversy for violating league safety protocols, giving a misleading statement about his vaccination status, and spreading misinformation about the viral disease.

Bibliography

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"Aaron Rodgers." Pro Football Reference, www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RodgAa00.htm. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024.

Curtis, Jake. "Aaron Rodgers Wins His Third NFL MVP Award and Announces He's Engaged." FanNation, Sports Illustrated, 7 Feb. 2021, www.si.com/college/cal/news/aaron-rodgers-wins-third-mvp. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024.

Lange, Randy. " Aaron Rodgers on His '24 Jets Debut: 'I Can Play Better,' but Also, 'There Were Moments'." New York Jets, 10 Sept. 2024, www.newyorkjets.com/news/aaron-rodgers-2024-jets-debut-can-play-better. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024.

Li, David K. "Star NFL Quarterback Aaron Rodgers Traded from Green Bay Packers to New York Jets." NBC News, 24 Apr. 2023, www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/aaron-rodgers-traded-green-bay-packers-new-york-jets-rcna81238. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024.

Schefter, Adam. "Aaron Rodgers Doesn't Want to Return to Green Bay Packers, Sources Say." ESPN, 29 Apr. 2021, www.espn.com/nfl/story/‗/id/31359453/aaron-rodgers-want-return-green-bay-packers-sources-say. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024.

Schlachter, Thomas. "Aaron Rodgers Says Surgery 'Went Great' Following Season-Ending Achilles Injury." CNN, 15 Sept. 2023, www.cnn.com/2023/09/15/sport/aaron-rodgers-surgery-great-following-injury-spt-intl/index.html. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024.

Van Valkenberg, Kevin. "The Unfiltered Year of Aaron Rodgers." ESPN, 21 Jan. 2022, www.espn.com/nfl/story/‗/id/33088151/the-unfiltered-year-aaron-rodgers. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024.