With the 24th overall selection in the 2005 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Three years later, after sitting behind Brett Favre, he became the full-time starter and went on to become one of the best quarterbacks of all time and a future first-ballot Hall of Famer.
As a member of the Packers, Rodgers went on to make 10 Pro Bowls, win 4 MVPs, become a First-Team All-Pro four times, and made the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team. He also led the league in passer rating four times (2011 and 2020 highest in NFL history), has the highest touchdown-to-interception ratio in league history, and has the most touchdowns in Packers history (475) while also winning a Super Bowl, along with a Super Bowl MVP.
These are his final accolades in Green Bay as it was officially announced that Rodgers has been traded to the Jets. Quarterback Jordan Love takes over.
It’s bittersweet seeing the all-time great in anything but green and gold after all of these years but no matter how anyone feels, knowing what this man has done for this team should be celebrated and that’s what we’re going to do here.
It’s hard to pick only five of Rodgers’ top moments out of over almost a two decade-long career as a member of the Green Bay Packers but here we go anyway.
Aaron Rodgers’ Top Five Moments With The Green Bay Packers
5. Two Hail Marys Against The Cardinals in NFC Divisional Round (2015)
We start Rodgers’ top five moments in Green Bay with not one hail mary, but two on the same drive in the same game. Rodgers always had the flair for the dramatics when it came down to a single play and this so happened to be for the 2015 Divisional Round crown. While he didn’t come out on top, what he did down the stretch of that game was one of the most incredible things witnessed on a football field.
The Packers were trailing 20-13 to the Arizona Cardinals and faced the impossible task of coming back after facing a fourth-and-20 on their own four-yard line with 55 seconds left on the clock. In typical Rodgers fashion, he spun out and launched a 60-yard bullet to Jeff Janis, giving the Packers a chance.
A few plays later with five seconds left on the Cardinals’ 41-yard line, he figured why not do it again and that’s exactly what Rodgers did. Once again, he rolled out and launched another hail mary to Janis in the endzone, this time resulting in a touchdown to ultimately tie the game and send it to overtime. What made his second hail mary even better was the twerk and position of his body when he threw it.
This might’ve been higher on the list if the Packers came out on top but unfortunately, Rodgers didn’t even get a chance to touch the ball in overtime, resulting in a heartbreaking loss. Despite the result, this was one of the best endings you’ll ever see in a game.
4. Division Winner to Cobb (2013)
Rodgers has had so many career highlights against the Chicago Bears in his 15-year domination of the franchise but this last regular season game in 2013 for the NFC North title is right up there amongst the best.
Fourth-and-eight from the Bears’ 48-yard line with 46 seconds left, trailing 28-27 in Chicago. Not only was the division crown on the line but their playoff hopes hung in the balance. Rodgers wasn’t fazed. Like so many times in his career, he rolls out to avoid the rush and hit none other than Randall Cobb for a 48-yard game-winning strike for a touchdown to lead 33-28, leaving just 38 seconds left in the game.
There are many examples of Rodgers returning from injury but coming back from a seven-week absence with a broken collarbone to put away a historic rival to become NFC North Champions just makes it even sweeter.
3. Miracle In Motown (2015)
It’s hard to remember one specific regular season game throughout a storied 15-year career as a starter but this is one moment no Packers fan will ever forget.
Falling behind 20-0 to the Detroit Lions in week 13 of the 2015 season, Rodgers did the improbable and led the Packers to a 27-23 comeback victory but it wasn’t just the comeback itself, it was what happened leading up to it. Fast forward to just 23 seconds left in the game, Green Bay down 23-21 on their own 21-yard line with no timeouts left. That would pretty much end the game, right? Nope, not when you have Aaron Rodgers.
Down to their last play, the Lions were called for a face mask with no time left on a scramble from Rodgers to extend the game for one more un-timed down at their own 39-yard-line. Everyone knew the situation called for a hail mary and number 12 had more than enough arm to get it to the endzone. After rolling out and stiff-arming a defender, Rodgers threw up a prayer of a pass high into the Ford Field air. On the other end was Richard Rodgers backing into a maze of players only to jump up to find the ball in his hands to complete a miraculous comeback.
Of all the hail marys in the quarterbacks career, this one will always be at the top of the list and one of the most memorable plays on the football field.
2. NFC Divisional Round vs Falcons (2010)
This was just one of many tests on the road to the Super Bowl for Rodgers and the Packers.
Green Bay came into the playoffs as a sixth seed and heavy underdogs. That didn’t matter when it came to facing the top-seeded Atlanta Falcons on the road in the Divisional Round. Rodgers put on a performance of a lifetime in a 48-21 blowout against a top-five scoring defense. He was 31 of 36 passing for 366 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. That went for a postseason career-high 136.8 passer rating. Rodgers also ran for a touchdown in the game.
This is one of his best career highlights just on the pure fact that he put together a near-perfect and dominating performance as the last seed against a top seed that everyone penciled in as Super Bowl favorites.
1. Super Bowl XLV (2010)
“The Lombardi Trophy is coming home.”
Those were the words spoken after Aaron Rodgers delivered the Packers their fourth Super Bowl in team history and their first since Favre did so in 1997. It was a memorable playoff road to even get to the big game, beating the likes of Michael Vick‘s Philadelphia Eagles, blowing out the top-seeded Falcons, and getting the last laugh against NFC North rival Bears in the NFC Championship Game.
As impressive as them three wins were, his performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV tops them all. Not because they simply won the Super Bowl but because going into the game, the Steelers were ranked the number one scoring defense in the league that gave up just 14.5 points per game.
Even with all of that, Rodgers put up a vintage performance by going 24 of 39 passing for 304 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions for a passer rating of 111.5. This earned him not only his first Super Bowl (and only) but the Super Bowl MVP in the 31-25 win. He put his transcendent talent on display with unbelievable throws and clutch moments throughout the game.
While the Packers would’ve undoubtedly loved to get to the mountaintop again with Rodgers, this Super Bowl is one of the most memorable in NFL history and fans will be forever grateful for what he did with the green and gold.
Honorable Mentions
-Six Passing Touchdowns in 55-14 Week 10 Win Over Bears (2014)
-Comeback from Injury 20-0 down at halftime vs Bears (2018)
-Sideline pass to Jared Cook on game-winning drive in NFC Divisional Round win against Cowboys (2016)
-Passed for 423 yards and four touchdowns against Cardinals in first playoff start (2009)
-Run the table (2016)
Main Photo: USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis. via Imagn Content Services, LLC
