Brett Favre Says Aaron Rodgers Isn’t Going Anywhere Soon

For Brett Favre, the beginning of the Green Bay Packers’ 2020 NFL draft is hauntingly familiar. The Packers traded up to select Utah State quarterback Jordan Love with their first-round selection Thursday night with future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers still playing at a high level. In 2005, with Favre, a Hall-of-Famer, still entrenched as the Green Bay quarterback, the Packers selected Rodgers with their first-round pick. Favre remained the starting quarterback in Green Bay for three more seasons and he said he expects Rodgers to do the same.

The Favre and Rodgers situations are slightly different

Back when Aaron Rodgers was playing college football at Cal, the Packers had won the division at 10-6 in 2004 but suffered a 31-17 wild-card loss to the Minnesota Vikings in the playoffs. The following season, the Packers went 4-12 and fired head coach Mike Sherman. Brett Favre had one of his worst seasons in 2005, throwing 20 touchdowns and 29 interceptions. The team was in decline.

In the 2005 NFL draft, Rodgers had entered as possibly being the first overall selection, but the San Francisco 49ers instead selected Alex Smith. The Packers didn’t trade up to snag Rodgers. He fell into their lap when they selected at No. 24. Had Rodgers not fallen that far, who knows if the Packers would’ve even selected a quarterback.

This season, the Packers are coming off a year where they went 13-3 and made it to the NFC title game. Rodgers threw for better than 4,000 yards and had 26 touchdowns and four interceptions. The team is on the rise with still a top-5 quarterback playing at a high level. The pick of Love, and trading up to do so without addressing immediate needs, is baffling.

The relationship between Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre

When Aaron Rodgers came into the league, the job of the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers still firmly was held by Brett Favre. Favre said it wasn’t his job to mentor the next guy in line. “There is no clause that says ‘You groom the next guy who’s going to take your job, or else,’ Favre said back when Rodgers was drafted. “It doesn’t work that way.”

The two quarterbacks had some personality clashes during their playing days, but have since put any animosity aside. When Rodgers was a guest on the Pat McAfee Show, he said his relationship with Favre is strong. “I love Brett, I always had a great appreciation for him but we were caught in the middle of a power struggle,” he said.

Favre admitted they began as enemies, but have since developed a bond. ”
“Our relationship now is very good, and I’m more happy about that than anything else,” Favre said on WTMJ. “I’ve been able to see a different side of him, a non-playing side. I think he’s at a much better place in his life right now, which is great for him, and I think great for the Packers.”

Favre said Rodgers isn’t going anywhere unless he wants to

In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Brett Favre said that despite the Packers selecting a quarterback in the first round Thursday, Rodgers’ starting job isn’t in any jeopardy.

“Look, no one’s going to replace Aaron unless Aaron chooses to be replaced,” Favre told TMZ Sports. “There’s no worry for him that he’s going to be ousted. He’s too good of a player. It’s funny because Aaron and I were talking about it last year, how he gets how I was when he came in. Because now he’s at that age that I was when he came in, and so it’s getting about time that you start looking at drafting a guy or picking someone up in free agency.”

Favre went on to say that as long as the Packers have Rodgers, the team will be just fine. “As long as [the Packers have Rodgers] at quarterback, they have a chance to go to the Super Bowl, regardless of the rest of the team,” Favre said.