Aaron Rodgers Not Concerned About Brett Favre's Comeback

The words "Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers" don't roll off the tongue easily. After all, Brett Favre gave Packer fans 17 glorious years, setting records and building a Hall of Fame career in Green Bay.

Some fans haven't come to grips with Favre's initial departure from the Packers, and they certainly won't handle it well when Favre ends up spending the 2009 season with the rival Minnesota Vikings. While all that is going on, however, Rodgers continues to handle his job with grace and dignity.

As he arrived at the taping of the ESPYs Wednesday night in Los Angeles, Rodgers faced the obvious questions about Favre's comeback. Rodgers has said all the right things since his arrival in Green Bay back in 2005, and these answers were no different.

On whether Favre should return: "If he still feels he could do it, there's no reason he shouldn't."

On whether Favre will return: "I would bet you'll see him as long as John David Booty gives him the number four."

On the inevitable Favre vs. Rodgers storylines: "I know that will be the big story. You guys have a job to do. That probably sells a few more papers than the usual matchup. We'll try to stay focused that week if that does happen."

You can label these as "canned" responses, or claim that Rodgers is only saying what the Packers public relations team wants him to say.

However, no matter your feelings on Favre, it's hard to deny that Rodgers handled himself with the utmost class through all the adversity in 2008. He played through an injury, showed toughness, was a good leader, and put up numbers that any first-year starter would love to have.

There's no question that Aaron Rodgers is not Brett Favre, and it's hard to imagine him putting up the kind of Hall of Fame career Favre has. That said, Rodgers has an opportunity to carve out his own image in Green Bay, and he's done very well so far.

For all the talk about Favre wanting to prove Packers general manager Ted Thompson wrong by playing well for the Vikings this season, people are forgetting about one distinct possibility. Aaron Rodgers may want to prove a few things about himself and about the Packer team, namely that it wasn't all about Brett Favre.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

7-16-2009 @ 1:14PM

lm109as said...

Aaron Rodgers will have a great career. I still think he is the best QB in the NFC North, with Jay Cutler being a very close second. From the way he played last year, the Packers have got to be liking their QB position. This Division race is going to be very close this year. Each team (with the exception of the Lions for now) can stake a claim for being the favorites. As far as long term, The Packers and the Bears have set themselves up as front runners because of who is manning the QB position for each team. If Stafford is as good as advertised, the Lions will be there to. This leaves the Vikings on the outside looking in unless they find or develop a above average QB.

7-16-2009 @ 1:16PM

John said...

Here you go again, Bruce - "I love the Packers, and I won't ever say anything bad about them. But Ted Thompson wants me to talk bad about Brett Favre, so I will."

With that said, I think if Aaron Rodgers had any backbone, he would have said, "This is my team now, and I can beat Brett favre any day." Bu he won't say that because he can't. And, no, I don't think a 6-10 record makes Aaron Rodgers show that "He played through an injury, showed toughness, was a good leader, and put up numbers that any first-year starter would love to have."
He has been injured two years in a row, not to metion his college years. He is injury prone and he will not have a productive career. Period!!

7-16-2009 @ 1:36PM

Ken said...

Brett Favre is not a "plug-in and play" QB. He will fall flat on his face in Minnesota, just like he did in NY. He should not come back. If he wants to be in football, let him coach receivers at Southern Miss.

7-16-2009 @ 1:37PM

Oh, and I am a Packer fan!

7-16-2009 @ 2:05PM

vikings4ever said...

I WOULD NEVER HAVE GUESSED!!!!

7-16-2009 @ 2:24PM

whatever, 4ever! The Viqueens don't have the receiver corps that the Pack did for Favre. I could take the snaps and hand it off to Peterson! "Favre rolls left on a bootleg and sends it downfield to (Lee, Driver, Jennings, Brooks, Sharpe, Freeman) who in the Vikings line-up?" Childress and the rest of Minnesota's coaching staff would have been better served trying to improve the QB's you have, not hoping that a 39(soon to be 40) year-old once-was, still has a mad-on for the GM of a team you play twice! And I think that it will be a replay of last season, where we split that again. And if Capers somehow pulls off a miracle, we may be in the Playoff picture as well!

7-16-2009 @ 2:31PM

Leftyfixit said...

If Last year is any indicator, Mr. Rogers had better pack his bags Now!!!He is no Matt Cassel or Tom Brady. I think Green Bay needs a new quarterback. Last year for Green Bay was a disgrace! I am a Vikings fan and We will See who leads the NFC North. It Won't be Green Bay Or Chicago.

7-16-2009 @ 2:53PM

packerbf4tb said...

Bruce Ciske must really hate Favre....who cares
about what Rogers thinks (or Bruce) since football is a business....if Favre wants to
play what business is it to anyone else ....
The two QBs (FAVRE & ROGERS) are going to do
their best to win and it doesn't matter who the
other QB or good player is on the opposing team...all this foolish talk about who is better
revenge, whatever is just crap .....the ultimate
goal of any player and team is the SB...isn't
that what they are playing for?...I for one
can't wait to see the performances this season
by Favre (if he signs) Cassel, T.O., Brady,
Sanchez, Romo, .....all of the above have to
bring it and prove all the naysayers wrong.....
These guys aren't in high school....they are
all grown men doing a job....so stop making
waves like it is personal....it is a business....

7-16-2009 @ 5:24PM

leoganz said...

It's funny reading the cheesehead's posts...........They will go nowhere this year just like last

7-16-2009 @ 5:38PM

Joe hall said...

If there is anyone out there who thinks Aaron had a bad year last year look at his stats.He was very efficient 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.Wow Brett once threw 6 picks in a game.Aaron also is only the second player in NFL history to throw over 4,000 yards in his first season as a starter (4,038.Also posted 4 300 yards passing games.And finished 4th in the league in passing yards and touchdowns.Not too bad for a first year starter.VIKINGS sucked before Farve and they will suck afterwards as well.Look at his career stats in a dome THEY SUCK

7-16-2009 @ 7:04PM

You must be Joe the Plumber because you have your head in the toilet! Aaron Rodgers statistics is very clear - 6-10! That is all that counts.

Oh! By the way - Aaron's probable statistics this year are the same - 6-10!

7-16-2009 @ 7:33PM

Matt Snyder said...

Hey John, a lot more goes into wins and losses than the quarterback. A few examples:
- Peyton Manning was 3-13 his rookie season.
- Rex Grossman is 19-14 in his career as a starter.
- Drew Brees went 2-9 in 2003 and then 11-4 in 2004.
- Brett Favre went 4-12 in 2005.

There are two sides of the ball. As a Bears fan, I'm smart enough to realize the Packers lost 10 games last season because their defense was awful, not because they ranked 5th in points scored and 8th in total offense. Unless Brett Favre plays defensive back, he wouldn't have made the Packers any better last season.

7-16-2009 @ 6:59PM

Brad said...

Gotta love the hayseed Vikings fans actually thinking Favre will help them. Bunch of rubes...

7-16-2009 @ 8:32PM

PAIN IN THE ASS said...

Brett Favre - The biggest jerk in all of sports. The wrong quarterback from Mississippi was killed recently.

7-18-2009 @ 10:02PM

vhsumlin said...

Irregardless of your feelings one way or the other towards Brett Favre, your comment was uncalled for to say the least. NO Mississippi QB should have been killed July 4th. Your a real JERK.

7-16-2009 @ 11:07PM

Tonap Builders said...

Aaron better than Jay Cutler? I was sorry to see him end up in Chicago and as far as I'm concerned , as far as SKILL at Quarterback is concerned, Aron Rodgers could'nt carry Cutlers jock strap.I'm not necessarily a Cutler fan, but when it comes to the best quarterback in whatever division Chicago is in, with Cutler, Chicago instantly becomes the team to beat.Here in Denver , without Cutler we might go 3-13 and will be in rebuilding mode until we get a decent quarterback and a coach who does'nt have his head stuck up his ass

7-17-2009 @ 4:51AM

claytor said...

LMAO, give Cutler those 53 young, talented receivers, and see what happens. He had a WORSE defense last year, less of a running game (14 starting rb's anyone?), and had a better record. Now he has Forte, one of the better defenses in the league, and the speedy uber talented Devin Hester.

Cutler second best my ass.

And please, enough of the "first year starter" jargon. hes not a rookie, hes been there for half a decade now. If he DIDNT throw for 4,000 with the gifts given him, then i suggest he retire.

Don Majkowski threw for 4,000 in his first full year as a -ahem- starter. Coincidentally with a crew of up and coming wr's, headlined by Sterling Sharpe.

Poor short sighted Packer fans, i swear...

7-17-2009 @ 3:46PM

AFro said...

Favre's probably already signed. I read on CBSSports that he had reached a deal with Minnesota. Besides, what the hell should Aaron Rodgers care? I think Minnesota's supporting cast is much better than the one he had in New York AND he'll have a healthy shoulder. I'm telling you. He already signed, this is all just a hype-machine.

7-19-2009 @ 7:35PM

ezg3571 said...

AAron had hes chance to prove himself last year a 6 & 10 season is all the proof you should need. AAron is a 2nd string QB & will never be as good as Favre.