Sunday night will be a night to remember. It serves as the first time Aaron Rodgers faces the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers was with the organization for 18 seasons (2005-2022). He won a Super Bowl, four MVP awards, and consistently had his team in the playoffs. Many consider him one of the greatest to have ever done it. But one thing Rodgers has never done in his historic career is beat the Green Bay Packers.
Rodgers found himself in a similar situation to Brett Favre back on October 5, 2009. Favre was facing his old team for the first time, and Rodgers was now the starting quarterback who took over for him. The vibes were very different then. Now it’s Rodgers facing his old team, and Jordan Love is the guy who took over for Rodgers. Despite all the similarities between the two situations, this time feels different.
When Rodgers and the Packers parted ways, there was some animosity between Rodgers and the front office. That said, Rodgers and his former coaches and teammates have continued to speak highly of one another. That has been the case for several years now. Rodgers and his old buddies have spent this week sharing fond memories of one another. For Rodgers and the Packers, it’s still all love.
A Nostalgic Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers could hold some hard feelings toward the organization that drafted his replacement and later traded him. There were a few rocky years toward the end of his tenure that could’ve left a sour taste in his mouth, but that’s not the case. “I don’t have any animosity toward the organization,” Rodgers said. “Obviously, I wish that things had been better in our last year there, but I have a great relationship with a lot of people still in that organization.”
Rodgers is approaching this week like any other. He even said, “This is not a revenge game for me. I’m just excited to see some of those guys and be on ‘Sunday Night Football’ again.” The fact that the game is in Pittsburgh does remove some of the nostalgia, and Rodgers acknowledged that. “It would feel different if I was going back to Green Bay,” Rodgers admitted. “If we were playing in Lambeau, that would be a little different feeling for sure.”
When Rodgers was a Packer, he was always a reflective person, and that’s still the case today. It’s allowed him to look back and appreciate his time as a Packer, regardless of any tense times. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder, maybe,” he said with a smile. “A lot of great memories from my time there. I grew up there. I spent 18 years there from 21 to 39, so I’m thankful for my time there.
Coaching Rodgers Was No Small Feat
When Matt LaFleur was hired, he was tasked with a difficult job, and one that not every coach can do – find a way to mesh with an accomplished, veteran quarterback and help get him back to playing at the highest level. It’s safe to say LaFleur accomplished this goal. Rodgers went on to win back-to-back MVP awards with LaFleur at the helm, and the team played in back-to-back NFC championship games.
“We had a great relationship,” LaFleur shared on Wednesday. “I thought it was a great collaboration of all of us coming together. We spent a lot of time together, especially that offseason during COVID of trying to really bring more clarity to our offense of what we wanted to be and what we wanted to do and why we wanted to do it. There were a ton of great conversations that led to us going out and having a lot of success together.
Rodgers is now in his 21st season and is still playing at a high level. He’s completing 68.6% of his passes at 8.0 yards per attempt. He’s thrown 14 touchdowns to just five interceptions. LaFleur still sees an elite quarterback. LaFleur pointed out that his arm strength and pinpoint accuracy are still elite. He also mentioned his ability to move around, even at the age of 41. “He’s still moving around pretty good. It’s still pretty impressive what he can do.”
The Bond Between Rodgers and Love
Jordan Love has a lot of fans, but Aaron Rodgers might be the most notable. “He’s a great kid, man. He really is. I enjoyed my time with him. I’m not surprised by how he’s playing. He’s playing great,” Rodgers said. “His progression was like mine, kind of. First year, you’re getting your feet wet. Second year, you feel a little bit more confident. By the time the third year comes around, you’re ready to play.”
LaFleur also commended Rodgers’ ability to be an excellent teammate, mentor, and friend to Jordan Love. “He did a great job just being supportive with him, trying to give him nuggets all the time, and I think Jordan leaned into that,” LaFleur said. “I thought it was great for both people.”
Rodgers continues to keep a close eye on Love, but Love shares the same admiration. On Wednesday, he did nothing but praise Rodgers’ mentorship. “A-Rod texted me and was talking about some of the plays we’d run and some of my footwork, things like that, complimenting me, so obviously it’s great to be able to hear from him,” Love shared. “I’ve got so much respect for him, and anytime he gives me pointers, stuff like that, obviously you want to get feedback from a legend like that.”
Love went on to share that he and Rodgers still talk regularly. They didn’t cut off communication once they were no longer teammates. They might not see each other every day, but they still wish the best for one another. “A lot of it is just saying good luck throughout the season … we got a great relationship.”
Helping Nixon Find His Footing as a Packer
Keisean Nixon shared one of the most interesting stories about the former Packers quarterback. Nixon and Rodgers only played one season together in Green Bay, but it clearly was a memorable one. “I did not wanna come here. I hated it here when I first got here, and I used to just be kinda miserable, just wasn’t comfortable, just trying to get to know guys and stuff like that,” Nixon shared at his locker on Wednesday. “Aaron used to always be like, ‘Why are you so mad and angry?’ and made me give him a hug, and then it was like a thing.”
Nixon continued to share, “You hear stories about ‘12’ and stuff like that – arrogance. But it was never that. I never experienced that with Aaron. It was always good vibes. He always lifted players up. I remember when I was going through a slump early in that year, I wasn’t playing much. He was telling me, ‘It’s gonna come. Just be ready.’ He was always telling me to keep that dawg in me.”
Despite Nixon’s appreciation for Rodgers, he’s still a competitor first and foremost. He acknowledged how well Rodgers continues to play, noting his IQ and arm talent. But when if he’ll talk to Rodgers at all before the game, Nixon responded with a laugh, “Nah, I’m not talking to him right now.
Rodgers has had hundreds of teammates over his years in Green Bay. Nixon was coming in as a young, unproven player, and Rodgers was coming off two straight MVP awards. Rodgers still took the time to build a relationship with Nixon, and Nixon remains thankful for that. Our relationship grew over time,” Nixon said. “We still talk and communicate and stuff like that. I appreciate him always.”
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