Aaron Rodgers Takes the High Road

It must be an interesting life for Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. After three years of dutifully serving as a backup quarterback, Rodgers awkwardly got his first chance to start last year when Brett Favre retired and tried to return only after the Packers had completed their offseason program.

Rodgers shocked many observers by staying healthy enough to start all 16 games, and he put up some pretty solid numbers despite his team's 6-10 season. With the onus on Rodgers and his team to continue getting better, they now have to deal with the possibility of Favre returning to play for division rival Minnesota. Fans continue to take sides, and Rodgers continues to take the high road on the matter.

Rodgers -- who needs to get used to tons of questions about Favre if he hasn't already -- was asked about the latest Favre comeback.

"If Brett wants to play, then he should play," Rodgers said after Wednesday's organized team activity practice, repeating a line he's used many times over the past year.

"And that's kind of all I have to say about that. Other than that, he's one player on one team that we play twice a year."

Sounds like Rodgers is resigned to Favre being an opponent this season, doesn't it?

The Green Bay Press-Gazette article notes that Favre and Rodgers didn't exactly have a great relationship, though it did improve over the course of Favre's three years with Rodgers as the backup. Since Favre's original retirement, Rodgers has unsuccessfully reached out to him, and the two apparently haven't spoken.

When speaking this week to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Rodgers again stayed on the high road.

"You know what, I really don't get into that whole thing, I really don't," Rodgers said. "I'm so focused on what I'm doing, what our team is doing. I know we play the Bears twice a year, the Vikings twice a year and the Lions twice a year, but all that other stuff to me is stuff that sells papers, but I don't really get a rise out of it."

Give the young quarterback credit. Surely, he knows he's in for a long training camp of tongue-biting, but it's clear he doesn't want to focus on Favre.

After all, he understands that the Packers have to get better, and he's a large part of that equation. You can fairly blame the Packers' defense for many of their problems last year, but Rodgers is not without flaw, and he'll be trying to prove himself on the field every Sunday, especially as long as Favre continues to play for other NFL teams.