By: Kyle McKee

What a few years it’s been for Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. From making back to back NFC championship games, to seeing your organization select your replacement in the first round. From winning an MVP award at 37 years old, to an Adam Schefter report coming out hours before the 2020 draft that Rodgers has played his last snap in Green Bay. Fast forward to the present day and all signs are pointing towards the 2021 NFL season being Aaron Rodgers last in Green Bay. 

After the Packers NFC championship loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Rodgers had this to say in the postgame press conference: “A lot of guys’ futures, they’re uncertain, myself included”¦ Just going to have to take some time away and clear my head and kind of see what’s going on with everything.“ That was the first real sign that Rodgers’ time in Green Bay may be coming to an end., which sent the NFL world in a frenzy. Then a few days later on the Pat McAfee show, Rodgers doubled down by saying that he’s simply not sure of his future with Green Bay, even saying “It was a realization that ultimately my future is not necessarily in my control.”

Then the off-season came and things got really weird. Before trading for Matthew Stafford, the Rams tried to kick the tires on acquiring Rodgers, but the Packers refused to deal him. Then Rodgers was a guest host on Jeopardy and seriously thought about retirement. Oh, and who could forget when ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on draft day that Aaron Rodgers wants out of Green Bay, and has played his last snap with the team. Last, but certainly not least, seemingly out of nowhere engagement to actress Shailene Woodley and their vacation photos with Miles Teller. 

Despite all of that Rodgers drama in the off-season and many more stories that I didn’t mention, Rodgers reported to training camp and is still the starting QB for Green Bay for one last season. 

So what does all this drama mean for the Packers 2021 season? Well, before we discuss that, let’s first talk about Rodgers first press conference of the 2021 season. 

In that press conference, Rodgers laid out all of his frustrations with the organization. When asked by a reporter, “what was this all about,” referring to Rodger’s displeasure with the direction of the organization, Rodgers said he wished to be more involved in organizational decisions. He also talked about “how some of the out-going veterans were treated and just the fact that we (Packers) didn’t retain a number of players that I felt were core players to our foundation, our locker room, high character guys. I’m talking about Charles Woodson, Jordy Nelson, Julius Peppers, Clay Matthews, Randall Cobb, James Jones, John Kuhn, Brett Goode, TJ Lang, Brian Bulaga, Casey Hayward, Micah Hyde”¦ Many of whom weren’t offered a contract at all, or were extremely lowballed, or were not given the respect on their way out of their status and stature of high character deserved.” 

The most damning line from the interview is when Rodgers says in his answer the  question of what this was all about that he wanted to be in organizational conversations about free agents, “which has never happened in my career.” That’s crazy! How was Aaron Rodgers never been involved in organizational decisions? He’s a surefire hall of fame Quarterback. He’s one of the best to ever play the quarterback position, most important football. For goodness sakes, he just won an MVP award at the age of 37! 

Sorry, I had to get that off my chest. The fact that organizations like the Packers think they’re the main reason for the team’s success and not the players that PLAY and the coaches that coach the games is ridiculous to me. Of course, a good front office is needed, but the players are the ones who do the heavy lifting. With that being said, I’d like to take a second to thank Rodgers for expressing what he feels in that press conference, and actually giving the media and fans real answers to the questions that we’ve all had. Whether you love him or hate him, you’ve got to respect him for speaking his mind and being so open. Now, back to your regularly scheduled program. 

Despite all the drama with Rodgers and the Packers this off-season, I expect Green Bay to be just as good as they’ve been the last two seasons. They’re pretty much bringing back the same roster from that made back-to-back NFC championship games, so why can’t the Packers make it three in a row and maybe even get back to the Super Bowl? I mean, a healthy Aaron Rodgers is guaranteed 10 wins, and now with the extra game, probably at least 11 wins for Green Bay. 

In all honesty, I could see the Packers 2021 season going one of two ways, that is assuming Rodgers is healthy all year. Either the Pack loses in the first round of the playoffs and the entire season is just a media frenzy with each week consisting of a news story related to Rodgers. Or everyone on the Packers buys into the one the last dance mentality, finishes the regular season with one of the best records in the league, and goes on to win the Super Bowl. I’m of the belief that the latter is more likely than the former. Here’s why:

According to Pro Football Focus, the Packers have the sixth-best roster heading into the 2021 season. On offense, they’ve Aaron Rodgers. What more needs to be said. They still have one of, if not the best receiver in the game in Davante Adams. Other than Adams, Rodgers still has Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Allen Lazard to work with, as well as newly required Randall Cobb, Devin Funchess, and Amari Rodgers. Rodgers has a solid backfield at his disposal in Aaron Jones and AJ Dillion, and the Packers offensive line finished the 2020 season as the second-ranked unit in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. Not too shabby. 

On the other side of the ball is a different story. The Packers defense in 2020 was about an average unit. The one area where they excelled though is with Jaire Alexander and Adrian Amons who form one of the league’s best defensive back duos. However, one area where the Pack needs improvement is their defensive line. 

Kenny Clark is the Packers best defensive lineman. Selected to the Pro Bowl in 2019, Clark has been the most consistent D-lineman for Green Bay. According to J.E. Barnett of SB Nation, “When healthy, Clark eats up blockers, demanding the attention of blocking schemes and making the edge rush more effective.” Other than Clark though, Green Bay needs someone to step up. 

There’s Dean Lowry who’s been a solid, consistent D-lineman throughout his career, but has never really blossomed into a every down guy. There’s Kingsley Keke, who like Lowry, is another solid D-lineman who has yet to blossom into something more. Then there are guys like Tyler Lancaster, TJ Slaton, and Delonte Scott who are all just rotation lineman. Having said that, Green Bay’s hoping the consistency of returning players like Clark, Lowry, and Keke will contribute to an improved D-Line. 

Looking at Green Bay’s linebackers, they bring back two-time Pro Bowl Edge rusher Za’Darius Smith also returns and will try to make it a third straight Pro Bowl. Preston Smith, Krys Barnes, and Rashan Gary also return. Plus, newly acquired De’Vondre Campbell will move right into the starting inside linebacker position. 

Last season the Packers defense was an average unit, with some nice pieces in the secondary, a decent pass-rush and talented linebackers, but didn’t have any serious stars. However, Green Bay’s hoping that the consistency of returning players, the chemistry they built last season, will carry over into 2021, and morph into a top ten defense. 

With all that being said, the Packers Super Bowl hopes all hinge on Aaron Rodgers. If he can duplicate the success he had last season, or even improve, if that’s even possible, then Green Bay will be sitting pretty atop the standings, looking to add another Lombardi trophy. But if the Packers get off to a rough start to the season, and reports start coming out early on in the season about Rodgers’ frustrations with the organization, then things could turn sour fast. However, I’m of the belief that Rodgers is more motivated than ever. In his last year in Green Bay, Rodgers has to be more motivated than ever to prove to the organization he’s been a part of for the past 17 seasons that they are making a huge mistake in moving on from him in a year’s time. It’s not going to be easy though. 

According to CBSsports, the Packers have the fourth hardest strength of schedule for 2021, with their 2021 opponents combined 202 win percentage at .542. They’ll face difficult matchups such as going to Kansas City, Baltimore, Arizona, New Orleans, and San Francisco. Despite all of that though, and even with all the drama that happened this off-season between Rodgers and the Packers, don’t be surprised if Aaron is holding up the Lombardi trophy in February, laughing his way out of Green Bay. 

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By: Jake Rajala

The Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams Green Bay Packers feud are at its climax. On Friday night, the star QB and elite WR posted an Instagram story of “Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen”, which was a legendary basketball moment captured in the movie “the last dance”. 

This polarizing and mysterious image makes many people in the football world believe that the QB-WR duo could be playing one more season in GB today. The other possibility of the picture is that they’re not only signaling a leave of absence but potentially exiting together and they’re stating their dominant effort will be joint on another team. It may be less chaotic if the two remain married with the Packers, but I believe the second potential meaning of the two leaving the Pack is more likely to come to life.

It’s worth noting that the Packers just revealed that they ended long-term contract talks with Adams, prior to Adams publicly showing the MJ teaser. It would also seem more realistic that Rodgers is flexing the strong rapport that Adams and he simply share in a poetic way while leaving some mystery and team satire. I believe this was Rodgers’s tone shown on social media, vs him taking a 180 turn and proudly boasting their connection correlated with a gauge of the team’s direction after his long reported agony with Green Bay. 

Assuming Rodgers doesn’t take the path of sitting out 2021 but leaves to another squad potentially WITH Davanate Adams, a few interesting questions would follow. How could the Packers replace not one, but two elite talents? The team could go into a slow offensive rebuild over the next couple of seasons, or add admirable replacements in free agency. Although, there is another option: the Packers could acquire a QB and WR in an Aaron Rodgers trade. The option of trading for a QB and WR may provide the best route for talent and the best short-term path to high-end success. 

If the Packers want to add QB and WR talent in an Aaron Rodgers exchange, there are many directions that could be taken. Here are a few ideas that may be pleasing, yet realistic in a blockbuster Packers trade.

Packers and Raiders trade

• Las Vegas Raiders: Aaron Rodgers

• Packers: Derek Carr, Henry Ruggs, and a second round pick

or

• Raiders: Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams

• Packers: Derek Carr, Henry Ruggs, two second round picks, and a third round pick

Packers and Broncos trade

• Denver Broncos: Aaron Rodgers

• Packers: Drew Lock, Tim Patrick, and a first round pick

or

• Denver Broncos: Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams

• Packers: Drew Lock, Tim Patrick, a first round pick, and second round pick or Drew Lock and Courtland Sutton, and a first round pick, and third round pick 

The Broncos would be by far the best trade route with aim of acquiring a QB and WR. The team possesses two potential starting QBs (Lock, Teddy Bridgewater) and a loaded WR unit with Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick, and KJ Hamler. 

Packers and Washington trade

• Washington: Aaron Rodgers

• Green Bay: Taylor Heinicke, Curtis Samuel, a first round pick, and third round pick

or

• Washington: Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams

• Green Bay: Taylor Heinicke, Curtis Samuel, a first round pick, and two mid round picks, or Taylor Heinicke, J.D. McKissic, and a first round pick, a second round pick, and mid round pick

Washington doesn’t appear to be a favorite to land Aaron Rodgers, but they carry a young QB and numerous weapons that could be franchise skill players in GB. 

A trade involving a QB and WR in return for Rodgers (or Rodgers and Adams) may be complex, but it’s a route that could carry more robust QB and WR talent than on the roster, free agency, and potentially any options in the next few offseasons. These few routes the Packers could acquire a talented QB and WR in return would provide hope and provide healing for cheeseheads in 2021, as well.

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By: Reese Nasser

Second-year quarterback Jordan Love could be the QB1 in Green Bay quicker than anyone anticipated. Longtime quarterback Aaron Rodgers hasn’t shown any indication that he is willing to return to the Packers and a trade could still be on the horizon.  

The Green Bay Packers may have no option but to go all in on their former first-round pick. 

The Packers shocked much of the NFL when they chose to trade up and draft Love with the 26th pick of the 2020 draft. Originally, there seemed to be a sense of hope that Love could follow a path like Rodgers did when he first arrived in the NFL. Sit behind an all-time great quarterback and retain as much information as he could until it was time to take over. Green Bay envisioned a long-term plan when selecting Love but it seems as if things could change rather quickly. 

So the question must be asked; what level could Jordan Love play at if he is given the QB1 spot? There is potential that he could play at the level of a pro bowl quarterback.

The Packers have an offense that is top-loaded with talent. The trio of Davante Adams, Aaron Jones, and Robert Tonyan can keep up with the NFL’s best defenses. With a group like that surrounding Love, he could find instant success in the league. A Pro Bowl trip could be in Love’s near future and here’s why.

A Year with Rodgers

Even with Rodgers’ future in Green Bay uncertain, Love was still able to learn from him for an entire season. As we’ve seen numerous times in just the last few years, quarterbacks that have been able to sit behind such accomplished quarterbacks have done very well in the NFL. 

Patrick Mahomes may be the most notable player to sit for a season and then be prepared when jis opportunity arrives. While there are no expectations for Love to play anywhere near the level of Mahomes, he could shock the NFL in a manner somewhat similar to that of Mahomes. 

Aaron Rodgers is arguably one of the single greatest quarterbacks in NFL history and he has been a QB1 for as long as he has become he knows the game better than most. 

Many young quarterbacks could benefit greatly from sitting behind a quarterback such as Rodgers and it could prove to be a pivotal factor in Love’s career. 

Coaching Impact 

Head coach Matt LaFleur has quickly become one of the best offensive masterminds in the NFL. After spending time with the Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Rams, and the Tennessee Titans before arriving in Green Bay, LaFleur has had the chance to work with some of the league’s best quarterbacks and best coaches, from Matt Ryan to both Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay. The knowledge that LaFleur has gained up to this point could allow for Love to transition into a starting role easier. 

Love doesn’t necessarily fit the typical mold of quarterbacks that LaFleur has had in the past but that doesn’t mean that he couldn’t fit an offense around him. Love has proven to be capable of throwing the ball deep and accurate, something that current Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is elite at. 

LaFleur’s ability to make any offense that he touches turn into an at least average unit would not be different here. 

With Love at the helm, LaFleur could potentially unlock another level to this unit. Love would be an upgrade over Rodgers in terms of athleticism. He ran a 4.74 40-yard dash and frequently made plays with his legs while in college. In his final season at Utah State, he rushed 81 times. He almost scored nine touchdowns with his legs. The addition of an athletic quarterback has revolutionized offenses all throughout the NFL, and this could happen in Green Bay. 

Everything that Love has encountered up to this point in his NFL career has prepared him to be great. The offensive weapons that Green Bay has assembled will allow Love to lean on them when he struggles. A security blanket in Davante Adams and a quality running back in Aaron Jones could also help mask any issues that Love has in his game. 

The coaching staff surrounding Love has proven to be prepared to let the quarterback learn the NFL game. They drafted him with him being the eventual QB1 and they clearly have an idea for what he can become. If Love can quickly grasp the NFL game, a Pro Bowl nod may be in his near future. 

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By: Jeremy Trottier

As most NFL fans know by now, Aaron Rodgers has quite a bit of disdain towards the Green Bay Packers right now for various reasons. This has led to quite the plethora of trade rumors coming out about him, as well as some of the reasons as to why he is unhappy with the Packers. In this article, I will be going over the biggest three of these reasons, as well as what made Rodgers unhappy for each issue.

Release of Jake Kumerow

This is one of the biggest reasons Rodgers has been upset with Green Bay, and honestly, it is for a valid reason besides just cutting Kumerow. The story behind this that is causing issues is that the day before GB cut Jake, Aaron was talking openly about how much he trusted and enjoyed having Jake on the team. This is what the media has been calling the boiling point that got Rodgers to where he is now in his level of annoyance with the GB management, as they blatantly broke his trust the day after he spoke of it.

This is less about Jake as a player and less about the cutting itself, but more about what it meant for them to immediately remove him off the roster less than 24 hours after Rodgers said that he trusted him. This was brought up by Trey Wingo, Pro Football Talk, and many other sources as a point of contention between Rodgers and the Packers front office.

Drafting of Jordan Love in 2020

This is probably the most well-known reason by fans as to why Rodgers wants out, and logically it makes sense. The Packers not only drafted what could be viewed as a replacement QB for Aaron but traded up to do so as well when they could have taken anything else. This is similar to the situation of them drafting Aaron while they still had Brett Favre, who then left Green Bay soon after.

The Packers WR situation outside Davante Adams is relatively mediocre at best. Getting one of the WRs left on the board at that point (i.e. Tee Higgins, Denzel Mims, Michael Pittman Jr., Chase Claypool, Laviska Shenault, etc.) would have hugely helped Rodgers in his capabilities to throw the ball. Instead, they chose to draft his position, specifically in the first round as well.

General Manager Preferences

One more issue that has been becoming more prominent as of late is the Packers choice of general manager. The Packers signed Brian Gutekunst in 2018 to be their general manager, who as of right about now Aaron Rodgers despises for the prior two reasons. There have even been reports (from Charles Robinson, Bleacher Report, and Pro Football Talk) that Rodgers wants Brian fired, and may not remain with the team if he is not fired.

On another note, reports from Bob McGinn of The Athletic even said that Rodgers mocked Gutekunst in a group text with teammates, jokingly referring to him as “Jerry Krause”. For those who do not know, this is the former manager of the Chicago Bulls who ended up killing the Bulls dynasty by getting on Michael Jordan’s bad side. If this is true to reports, that likely is not a good sign at all for this relationship in Green Bay.

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Let’s go under the scope. 

Jordan Love was the starting QB at Utah State, where he threw 20 touchdowns to 17 interceptions his senior year. Love was drafted high for his 2018 production (32 touchdowns, 6 ints) and freakish arm strength. Chris Simms gave Love a higher physical grade than Tua Tagovailoa, so that goes to show how physically gifted the 6’4 220 QB is.

Love’s arm strength was the highest in his draft class. Love ousted a maximum velocity that was equivalent to a baseball throw of 98 mph. Love was ideally the perfect “project” QB for Green Bay to tool with, to where he could improve his throwing mechanics and learn to read defenses better under A-Rod/LaFleur.

The concerns clearly lie with Love’s turnover habits. It’s a very concerning tale for a QB to go from 6 interceptions to 17 interceptions. One of the more recent issues with Love isn’t how he graded out of college, but rather how he performed in “training camp”. Love was reportedly terrible in training camp which is a terrible follow up after being drafted late for concerns. 

It shouldn’t be a death sentence for Love if he had porous training camp/start to his career. Peyton Manning started as a rookie and led the league in interceptions, only to become a Hall of Fame QB. Cam Newton had a terrible preseason showing, prior to winning rookie of the year. As cheeseheads know well, Brett Favre was a “turnover machine in his prime”. 

If Jordan Love can get help from the resigned Aaron Jones and a sharp game script from LaFleur, Love can make big plays with Davante Adams and Robert Tonyan in the passing game routinely. LaFleur even spoke to Love about the recent chaos and told him to keep focusing on himself and improving his craft. LaFleur still undoubtedly sees lots of potential in the QB, which is why he’s only a step away from the driver seat of the reigning NFC one seed.

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By: Josh Shippen

For about four seasons now the Packers have struggled with having weapons for Aaron Rodgers, and fans have loved to use this as the main argument to illustrate why the Packers never make it to the Super Bowl. While the Packers have had abundant success with Davante Adams who has had a pair of 1000 yard seasons along with 4 Pro Bowls and an All-Pro, their remaining receiver depth is limited. Their other 2 starters are Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Allen Lazard.

Valdes-Scantling is a fifth-round pick of 2018 who averages about 500 yards per season, and Allen Lazard was undrafted off of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2018 and recently had a breakout season in 2018 with around 450 yards and 3 touchdowns 2 years in a row. The Packers have also draft Amari Rodgers in the third round, 85th overall which might be something that will help Rodgers out in the future. While a case could be made that this is an alright group, upgrades are definitely needed.

The tight end position has also been a position of need for a few years, the Packers have toyed around with Jimmy Graham, Marcedes Lewis, Jared Cook, Jermichael Finley, and most recently Robert Tonyan. While some like Tonyan and Finley have had their food moments, Graham and Lewis have been fairly useless and in short none of the tight ends they’ve tried have stuck.

To summarize, Aaron Rodgers has not had premium talent excluding some glory years with Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, and Davante Adams. So why is this?

The answer is that the Packers seem to want to focus on their defense rather than their offense. The Packers spent $118 Million dollars on Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith alone. They have additionally poured $70 Million dollars into extending defensive tackle Kenny Clark. The Packers clearly think that their flaws lie solely on their defense so spending on a high-powered offense is not worth it in the grand scheme.

The next part that goes hand in hand with the last point is that Rodgers already makes all of the players around him better. There are some quarterbacks like Teddy Bridgewater, Alex Smith, and Derek Carr that are elevated by the players around them, and then there are players like Rodgers who are the ones who elevate the players around them. So at that point, if resources need to be contributed to the defense and Rodgers can elevate everyone around him, what need is there to pour money into offensive help?

This next argument is only a theory – It’s possible that the recent neglect of the receiver and tight end position is due to the tension between management and coaching with Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers and LaFleur/Gutekunst have been at odds ever since they got there and the failure to get Rodgers weapons might be something so simple as a petty desire to let Rodgers to maintain the elite level and not be garnered slight improvements.

There are moments where elite QBs can get their choice of weapons if it’s not a big investment. Tom Brady has gotten Antonio Brown, Drew Brees got a WR that he trained with the last offseason, but Rodgers hasn’t been as fortunate. I believe it’s mind-boggling that the Packers can retain Kevin King, their defensive front at the current price still, but they can’t find “good value” wideout for A-Rod.

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By: Dylan Parkes

The Green Bay Packers are one of the NFL’s most longest and successful franchises. Founded in 1919 by Earl “Curly” Lambeau, the Packers quickly established themselves as an NFL powerhouse despite being the smallest city in the league. The Packers won a total of 9 NFL championships in just 60 seasons before the AFL and NFL merger in 1966. 

After the merger the Packers dominated the first two seasons of the NFL. They finished with a 21-6-1 record over the first two seasons and comprehensively won the first two Super Bowls by a combined margin of 68-24. Headlined by Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi and quarterback Bart Starr, the 1960’s Packers were perhaps the NFL’s greatest dynasty and the city of Green Bay became accustomed to success. But after Lombardi left the team in 1968 it became a different story. 

The Packers subsequently fell into a long period of losing and would wait 30 years until they tasted victory again, when a Mississippi gunslinger named Brett Favre returned the franchise to the NFL summit alongside defensive lineman Reggie White and coach Mike Holmgren. 

The wait for the next Super Bowl was not as long. In 2005, the Packers lucked out in the draft and selected the franchise’s next great QB Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers had to wait three seasons before he could become a starter, but it all paid off when the Packers won the Super Bowl just five seasons after he was drafted. 

The rich history of Packers quarterbacks has led to Green Bay becoming a staple in the playoffs throughout the history of the NFL. The franchise is forever intertwined with these three names, but in what order do they rank in terms of playoff success? 

3. Brett Favre (1992 – 2007) 

When Brett Favre arrived in Green Bay the Packers were a shell of their former selves. The Packers organisation had entered a long period of futility and only made the playoffs twice over a span of 25 years. The success of the franchise had diminished over time after Vince Lombardi resigned as coach and the fans didn’t have much to cheer about. The only highlight for the franchise during the time period was Hall of Fame wideout James Lofton (1978 – 1986) who restored some sort of hope to a city that craved success. 

So in 1992, when the Packers traded a second round pick for a young, strong-armed sophomore quarterback from Southern Mississippi the fans were sceptical. As it turned out, that trade became the greatest decision the franchise ever made. 

Favre brought success to Green Bay almost immediately. In just his second season he carried the Packers to the playoffs for the first time in a decade and upset the Detroit Lions 28-24. That was the first taste of success for a team that would go on to enjoy a lot more in the years to come.

The Packers would go on to win another 8 playoff games in the 1990’s, with the most notable one being the victory in Super Bowl XXI. The Packers, off the back of Favre’s third straight MVP award, defeated the New England Patriots 35-21 in the Superdome to win the franchise’s third Super Bowl trophy. 

The Packers made the Super Bowl the year after but lost to John Elway and the Denver Broncos. That loss brought upon the end of the 90’s success after going 9-5 in six postseason appearances. With high expectations entering the new millennium, the Packers were only able to gain 3 playoff wins before Favre’s retirement and exit from the Packers following the 2007 NFC Championship loss. 

The Favre led Packers were a wild ride of joy, ecstasy and heartbreak. The team often lived and died on the arm of Favre who’s gunslinger mentality often got the best of him in big games. His legendary career with the Packers was immortalised when he was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016. His time as quarterback with the Packers will forever be remembered, but only ranks him third on the list, behind two all-time Packer greats. 

2. Aaron Rodgers (2008 – Present) 

Aaron Rodgers had the impossible task of replacing Brett Favre in Green Bay. Taking over from one of the franchise’s greatest ever quarterbacks was never going to be easy but Rodgers and the Packers did it seamlessly. 

The three-time MVP quarterback enjoyed success similar to Favre’s early in his career. He made the playoffs in his second year as a starter and went on to win the Super Bowl as the 6- seed the following season. The Super Bowl XLV win was the Packers fourth as a franchise and remains the only one Rodgers has won in his career. 

Rodgers was named Super Bowl MVP and went on to win regular season MVP the following season. The 2011 Packers finished the regular season 15-1 and were ready to repeat as champions until they ran into the New York Giants. Since that loss, the Packers have gone 7-7 in the playoffs and have lost four times in the NFC Championship game. 

While the losses in the playoffs have continued to pile up the play of Aaron Rodgers has not. Rodgers currently has the fourth highest postseason passer rating (100.5) of any quarterback in NFL history while also being tied for the 2nd most ever playoff touchdown passses (45) with Joe Montana. Rodgers passed Favre in all-time playoff touchdown passess in the 2020 NFC Championship game and did so playing in less games while throwing less passess. 

His consistent level of play coupled with the team’s success is why Rodgers slightly edges Favre on the Packers all time quarterback list. Both quarterbacks had similar career paths when it came to team success, but when it boils down to it, Rodgers gets the slight advantage because of playoff consistency and level of play.

1. Bart Starr (1956-1971) 

Bart Starr, together with Vince Lombardi, dominated the NFL in the 1960’s and undoubtedly remain the league’s greatest ever dynasty. The Packers steamrolled opponents during the decade and won NFL championships in 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966 and 1967. The final two championships won were the NFL’s first two ever Super Bowl’s. 

Lombardi’s Packers used a simple yet effective approach using the power sweep running game to crush opponents into the ground. The ground and pound approach led to five NFL Championships in seven seasons with Lombardi as head coach while having an overall record of 9-1 in the postseason. 

While the running game was the Packers bread and butter, the continuity of the team relied heavily on a skinny, Alabama quarterback to run the show. Starr’s influence on the Packers cannot be underestimated. He has the highest postseason passer rating (104.8) of any quarterback in NFL history, best winning percentage (90%) of any quarterback to start a minimum of 10 games, best touchdown percentage (7%), best interception percentage 1.4% and most adjusted yards per attempt (9.0). Starr’s records become even more impressive when you take into consideration the era he played in. From 1960-1967, the average quarterback passer rating ranged from 64.0 to 66.6. Starr’s rating was 40 points higher than the league average at a time when throwing the ball was difficult for almost every team. His playoff resume speaks for itself (5 time champion, 2 Super Bowl MVPs) and will go down as the greatest of all-time in Packers postseason history. Aaron Rodgers, it’s now your turn.

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