Getting to 442 passing touchdowns is no joke. Only five quarterbacks in the NFL have ever managed to do so, and Aaron Rodgers joined that club last week. On Christmas Day, not only is he expected to get to 443 and beyond but he’s primed to break a record that most thought would stand for quite some time.
Brett Favre threw for 442 passing touchdowns while wearing a Green Bay Packers uniform in his Hall of Fame career. He’s since gone down as one of the greatest to ever fling the pigskin around in NFL history. At the time of his initial retirement, many of his team records were thought to be untouchable, making it even more preposterous that they are getting shattered by his immediate successor. That’s how incredible Rodgers has been.
The timely fashion in which Rodgers has reached this milestone is nothing short of jaw-dropping. Rodgers got to 442 passing touchdowns in 45 fewer games than Favre while making 1,730 fewer attempts and throwing 193 fewer interceptions. That doesn’t diminish anything Favre accomplished. It just paints a picture of how truly remarkable Rodgers has been.
On Tuesday, Rodgers was asked what it will mean to break Favre’s franchise record. It gave No. 12 the perfect opportunity to reflect on the journey so far.
“Someone asked me the other day, ‘Do you think things would’ve turned out the way they did had you been a starter in year one?’ And you know, the obvious competitor in you and the confidence and the ego says, ‘Of course, it definitely would’ve turned out this way.’ But I think the human element and the observer and the gratitude is understanding that things happen the way they happen to allow me to get to this position. A lot of that is being able to sit behind Brett and watch one of the greatest players, competitors, and quarterbacks of all time and do it for three years and then do it on my own.”
Indeed, the avenue Rodgers took once the Packers drafted him is seldom walked down in today’s NFL. First-round picks at the quarterback position are often immediately thrown into the ring of fire, and evaluations are prematurely made regardless of surrounding circumstances. Ask around today, and many are already anointing Mac Jones as the next Tom Brady while Justin Fields and Zach Wilson are buried. Other elements such as coaching and scheme seem not to matter for those going for the instant analysis and hot takes. Rodgers sat for three years and came out of that patient approach as another Hall of Famer. He has not only filled Favre’s shoes but may have turned out to be even better.
Not in their wildest dreams could the Packers have imagined it would pan out like this with Rodgers. Teams don’t smoothly transition from one first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback to another. Green Bay has done just that, and now Rodgers is poised to set a new passing touchdown record on Saturday night in front of the Packers faithful.
The Packers’ fanbase has been labeled as spoiled because of the Favre-to-Rodgers transition. It may not be the right word choice or the right way to phrase it, but the point is taken nonetheless. Packers fans haven’t taken it for granted, though, nor has Rodgers.
After Sunday’s game, Favre sent Rodgers some words of wisdom.
“The one thing I will say that he mentioned which is one thing I’ve been taking to heart the last couple of years is he just said, ‘Enjoy it, because it goes by so fast and the next thing you know, it’s over.’ It hearkens me to one of my favorite clips from The Office where Andy Bernard is looking at the camera and Creed is playing the guitar in the background and he says, ‘I wish they’d tell you you were in the good old days before you left them.’ I’ve often thought a lot about that it reminded by Favrey’s comments. … These are the good old days.”
Coming up to this milestone provided plenty of incredible stories and reflection points for Rodgers as the Packers try to dive right into another Super Bowl run.
Brett Favre was one of the greatest to ever do it in a Packers uniform and one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Period. For Aaron Rodgers to step in after Favre’s departure and get to the point that he is ready to break what was a record that Packers fans thought would stand the test of time is nothing short of magnificent.
Appreciate Saturday for what it is and what it’s representing. Players like Favre and Rodgers don’t come around too often, and the Packers got them back to back.
