Much of the narrative surrounding Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers the last few years has been this: how the organization is wasting his prime.
In other words, when you have a talent like Aaron Rodgers at quarterback for as long as the Packers have, you should win multiple titles. And whose fault is it that the Packers have just one in the Rodgers’ tenure?
We’d say it’s general manager Ted Thompson’s for not surrounding him with more talent. Of course, Rodgers has played a role in that as well. Despite all of the other mishaps, had he played even near his ability, the Packers would have beaten the Seattle Seahawks in the 2014 NFC Championship.
Instead, he threw for less than 200 yards and tossed two picks.
That’s one game. Rodgers usually pulls his weight on any given day, but this is football. One guy doesn’t win a game alone.
So while team president Mark Murphy essentially guaranteed a Super Bowl appearance earlier this week, we all know the score.
We aren’t alone. Rodgers knows the score as well.
“We’ve been to the playoffs eight straight years, which is an accomplishment,” Rodgers said. “But you want more titles.”
People already talk about Rodgers as one of the greatest — if not the greatest — quarterback to play the game. So, to some degree, this is about legacy.
We have always maintained that to be truly great, you have to win titles.
Bart Starr.
That man was truly great.
Is Brett Favre great?
Sure, statistically. He also took the Packers out of probably as many playoff games as he won them by gunslinging to the other team. And that’s why he only has one title, despite arguably being surrounded by much more talent than Rodgers.
The Super Bowl that Favre won? It wasn’t like he was otherworldly in that game. The Packers won because of Reggie White — four sacks — and Desmond Howard — 244 all-purpose — who were dominant.
Favre threw for 246 and two TDs. Much of that, as you’ll recall, came on a 54-yarder to Andre Rison.
And yes, that’s a lot of history. It’s also a comparison.
Rodgers was great in the one Super Bowl he played in (304, three TDs). He won the game MVP and rightfully so. If you rewatch that game, Rodgers was dropping dimes over DBs who had great coverage.
But what makes a man, Mr. Lebowski?
In Green Bay, it’s titles.
Multiple titles.