The days where athletes start and finish their careers with a single team are dwindling, if not completely gone. Many thought, if anyone would do it, it would be Tom Brady. Before that, many thought the same of Brett Favre and the Packers. But both ended up signing elsewhere. So it shouldn’t be all that shocking that Favre predicts current Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers will finish his career with a team other than the Packers, but it is rather thought-provoking.
Maybe it’s a case of ‘it takes one of know one.’ After Green Bay chose to take Utah State product Jordan Love in the first round of the draft, there’s probably a lot of similarities the Hall of Famer Favre sees in the current situation in comparison to what his mindset was when the team took Rodgers to replace him.
Favre appeared on NBC Sports’ Rich Eisen show and when asked about the future of the Packers’ quarterback position, Favre didn’t even let the host finish the question. Favre said:
“My gut tells me (Rodgers will end up playing somewhere else) … I don’t know this for certain, but I guarantee you, it’s got the wheels turning in Aaron’s mind. If that’s the case, then that means there’s a chip on his shoulder toward the organization that otherwise was not there. All he needs is a reason other than this reason to expedite that.”
Favre also noted that he has talked with Rodgers in the days since the draft, adding “Let’s just say (Rodgers was) surprised that they went in that direction.”
Rodgers is now 36, which is older than Favre was when Green Bay made that switch (Favre was 35 at that time). But Rodgers has maintained his desire to keep playing, unlike Favre, who seemed to hint at retirement after every offseason for his last three or four years with the Packers.
Green Bay traded for Favre in the offseason following the 1991 season, giving the Atlanta Falcons a first-round pick for the eventual Hall of Famer. Favre went on to play with the Packers through 2007, at which point he was replaced by Rodgers. He then spent one year with the New York Jets and two with the Packers’ NFC North rival Minnesota Vikings.
Brett Favre with @richeisen on Packers taking Jordan Love: “I was very surprised. I thought they’d go in the direction of an offensive weapon… Nothing against Jordan Love. But you trade up to get more of a project. He can’t help you get to the Super Bowl immediately.”
— Zach Kruse (@zachkruse2) April 29, 2020
Aaron Rodgers was drafted 24th overall in the 2005 NFL Draft and has been with the Packers ever since. He’s played in 181 NFL games in the green and gold, throwing for 46,946 yards on 64.6 percent completion rate and a remarkable 364 touchdowns to just 84 interceptions.
