Rise of a new Superstar: How Aaron Rodgers’ ambitions overcame Brett Favre’s accomplishments
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Aaron Rodgers had to hone his craft by himself and replace Brett Favre.
Aaron Rodgers may not be having the best season of his life this year, however, this should not distract us from the quarterback’s greatness. He may not be the greatest quarterback to sport the number 12 on his jersey. However, his story is one that is nothing short of inspiring and motivating. He was essentially an underdog when he came into the NFL, but he worked his way up.
Aaron Rodgers was drafted 24th overall by the Packers, his fall down the draft rankings is one that still surprises many. He did not have it easy. Coming into the league, Aaron was expected to play as the backup to one of the greats in Brett Favre. Any rookie would falter in an attempt to replace one of the greats. However, Rodgers has always been special.
The quarterback was drafted into a hostile environment. Brett Favre was a great QB, but he was not a great mentor. Rodgers had to learn and develop his game by himself for the most part. However, while most rookie QBs falter and fail to meet expectations, AR12 showed us he was not just your everyday average Joe. He was compelled to fine-tune his game by himself and improve he did.
When the time came for the Packers to move on from Favre, Aaron Rodgers was ready to shine and he has never shied away from any challenges. In just four years of being a starter in the NFL, Rodgers established himself as one of the best QBs in the NFL. This is a man who did not have a solid mentor and rose to prominence due to his dedication and work ethic.
Jordan Love finds himself in the exact situation that Aaron Rodgers found himself in:
Ever since the day Aaron Rodgers took over, he has thrown over 468 touchdowns, passed for 57K yards, won a total of 4 NFL MVP awards, and won one Super Bowl and SB MVP award. That is always going to haunt Rodgers as despite having had multiple remarkable seasons, he has just made it to one Super Bowl, and this season, assuming things continue to go the way they have been, Green Bay is not going anywhere but home.
This season could also end up being the last season in which Aaron plays as keep in mind, he loves to win and he can only do so when he has weapons around him. When Rodgers took over from Favre, he had a lot of pressure riding on him. That is natural. When you attempt to fill the shoes of a legend, you will go through a lot.
But Aaron has never been the one to give up easily. The quarterback never relied upon Favre to teach him every single play. Brett expected Aaron to figure the playbook out and execute it to perfection. However, that did not happen.
Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers are not the same. The former was a legend, no doubt there, and he led the team to multiple accolades. However, Rodgers is a person who has always prioritized winning over anything else. Given the situation Rodgers has been in, he found a way to surpass his limitations and have a great time without having the fear of anything on the back of his mind.
However, Favre may have underestimated Aaron, as he did not just take his job but also executed it to perfection, leading his team to a Super Bowl victory and winning the MVP award in the process. Aaron will always be a legend, and the tough love from Brett Favre may have had something to do with it.
This may have been the case with Rodgers who is struggling this season. The quarterback has grown his career exponentially since that point. His loyalty has always been with the Green Bay Packers, and although on numerous occasions he may have expressed interest in joining other teams, he has always ended up staying with the organization which drafted him.
Aaron Rodgers has achieved a lot to date. He may not be the greatest quarterback, but there is one thing that we cannot argue on. He is an anomaly. His arm is impeccable, and his power, combined with his accuracy, separates him from the other QBs. Rodgers has won the regular season MVP 4-times for a reason. His record when it comes to the playoffs and Super Bowl is not as good, but it does not mean AR12 is not special.
He will go down as one of the greatest QBs to play the game and the fact that he was able to fill Brett Favre’s shoes despite having no professional mentoring increases his greatness. Usually, veterans are expected to guide rookie QBs through the process, however, some QBs are unable to get over their egos, just like Favre.
Currently, Aaron Rodgers finds himself in the same exact spot that his mentor did decades ago. He is responsible for overseeing the development of a young quarterback who was drafted with the sole purpose of replacing him. Jordan Love has been in the league for 2 years and is expected to succeed Rodgers.
Aaron has not kept it a secret that he wanted wideouts rather than QBs, but the front office had a different perspective. Will Jordan Love be anywhere as great as Rodgers or Favre? No, he will not, but that is just my opinion. Love may have been groomed in the same circumstances that Rodgers was groomed under, but he will never reach the level of greatness that Aaron Rodgers has achieved.
Despite AR12’s remarkable accomplishments, the Packers have struggled this season and in the past couple of years. The team has been known to make it to the playoffs, but that is where their journey usually ends. Rodgers may have been criticized for his comments and mindset but the man deserves respect in one regard. He worked his way up and did not depend on anyone to help improve his craft.
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Sumedh Joshi
(2272 Articles Published)