Aaron Rodgers: Leader of the Pack. An Intimate Portrait of a Super Bowl MVP

193 Pages·2011·225.99 MB·English

by  Rob Reischel

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AARON RODGERS
LEADER PACK
OF THE
Jim
B
iever
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For Laura, Maddie, and Mia—the best team in town
Copyright © 2011 by Rob Reischel
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form
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the publisher, Triumph Books, 542 South Dearborn Street, Suite 750, Chicago, Illinois 60605.
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Triumph Books
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Printed in the United States of America
ISBN: 978-1-60078-645-7
Content packaged by Mojo Media, Inc.
Joe Funk: Editor
Jason Hinman: Creative Director
Photos on pages 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, and 53
© 2011 by Chico Enterprise-Record, reprinted with permission.
Photos on pages 1, 3, 48, 51, 166, and 174
© 2011 by Jim Biever, reprinted with permission.
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Jim
B
iever
Contents
Preface........................................................................................6 A New Starter in Green Bay................................74
A Dream Come True....................................................6 2009: Moving Toward the Top.........................88
The Pride of Chico, California..........................18 2010: Regular Season Roller-Coaster.......112
Combine Highs, Draft-Day Lows.................30 Return to the Playoffs.............................................142
The Understudy Years.............................................44 Champions of the Football World.............162
A Messy Transition....................................................64 Super Goal: “Win Another One".................182
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AARON RODGERS
PREFACE
M
Many of my colleagues in Wisconsin summer in Green Bay. Back then, Rodgers’
have covered the Green Bay Packers delivery was mechanical. He didn’t appear
far longer than I have. And perhaps to have the athleticism he now possesses.
they’ve seen players come farther And his arm strength, a major positive
than Aaron Rodgers has. today, appeared only so-so back then.
But in my 10 years covering the Pack- Anyone that tells you they would have
ers, Rodgers has improved more than bet on Rodgers becoming a star is proba-
anyone I’ve witnessed. bly fibbing. There were no signs of it that
When Rodgers arrived in the spring first summer.
of 2005, he was lost. Inaccurate. Over- But Rodgers is as sharp as they come.
whelmed. Frustrated. He’s bright, witty, and articulate. In fact,
But one thing Rodgers never lacked there are many days Rodgers will challenge
was confidence. the media as much as they challenge him.
No matter how bad he looked—and So it was simply a matter of time before
there were times it wasn’t pretty—he never he grasped things mentally. What came as a
doubted himself. Today, we know why. surprise is how much he improved the
Rodgers is smiling last, and smiling other aspects of his game.
the widest, after leading the 2010 Green By Rodgers’ second summer in Green
Bay Packers to a Super Bowl championship Bay, he was a different player. By his
and winning Most Valuable Player honors. third, he looked like starting material.
With a postseason for the ages, Rodgers In fact, after Green Bay lost the 2007
became one of just 29 quarterbacks to ever NFC Championship Game to the New
win Super Bowl titles. Rodgers joined Bart York Giants, one Packers assistant coach
Starr and Brett Favre as the only Packers’ told me that many on the staff believed
signal-callers to win Super Bowls. And he’s they would have defeated the Giants if
thrust himself into a discussion of the NFL’s Rodgers—not Favre—had been the quar-
elite quarterbacks. terback that night.
It’s a remarkable transformation for a Emboldened by that belief in Rodgers, it
player that struggled immensely that first was easier for Green Bay to let Favre retire,
4
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LEADER OF THE PACK
then eventually trade him in the summer of our fans. And I think people that didn’t
2008. Still, that lengthy soap opera made know me nationally took notice, too.”
Rodgers a nationwide talking point. They haven’t stopped.
While Rodgers’ development as a The Packers went just 6–10 that first
player was significant by that time, his year under Rodgers, but have risen since.
growth as a person came out here. First, there was a playoff appearance in
Each day, Rodgers was bombarded by 2009. Then, with expectations sky high in
questions about Favre, as well as his own 2010, the Packers survived a glut of in-
future. What did Rodgers think about juries and became Super Bowl champions.
Favre wanting to return? Could he live Rodgers was the biggest reason why.
with being a backup again? Did he still Rodgers’ ascension to Super Bowl
want to be in Green Bay? The questions MVP is one of the NFL’s most compelling
were endless. stories. Remember, Rodgers had zero
Rodgers was 24 years old at that time, NCAA Division I scholarship offers com-
and many people that age would have ex- ing out of high school, he plummeted
pressed frustration. Rodgers stayed the down draft boards in April 2005, and he
course and bit his tongue. He came off as was forced to wait three years for his
professional and classy. He may have won chance in Green Bay.
more points for his behavior in that ordeal At every turn, Rodgers has faced long
than any touchdown pass he’s ever thrown. odds. Each time, he’s succeeded.
Twelve months after the Favre saga, “The guy has overcome a ton,” team-
Rodgers and I sat together inside Lambeau mate Jordy Nelson said. “A ton.”
Field shortly before training camp opened. The next challenge will be for Rodgers
We discussed football, life, and Favre. to keep improving and help the Packers win
“I think I earned a lot of fans nation- multiple Super Bowls in the years ahead.
ally, who maybe didn’t know me or know Back in the summer of 2005, I
a lot about me, by handling things the way wouldn’t have thought it possible that
I did,” Rodgers said. “It was a difficult sit- Rodgers would one day lead Green Bay to
uation, but I just tried to be as honest and a Super Bowl. I was dead wrong.
as classy as I possibly could. I realized the You’ll never catch me betting against
situation was way bigger than myself, and him again.
I think in doing that, I earned the respect —Rob Reischel
of my teammates, the organization, and
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CHAPTER 1
A Dream
Come True
A
Aaron Rodgers ducked under center a dream come true,” Rodgers said that
Scott Wells, took the final snap of night. “It’s what I dreamt about as a little
the 2010 season,and touched his left kid watching Joe Montana and Steve
knee to the ground. Rodgers put the Young, and we just won the Super Bowl.”
ball in his left hand, took off his helmet, Rodgers had just finished a Super
and was then embraced by teammates Bowl performance—and a playoff run—
from every angle. As confetti fell from that rivaled any the NFL has ever seen. He
Cowboys Stadium like snow on a Wiscon- carved up a Pittsburgh defense that was
sin winter day, Rodgers made his way to a allowing an NFL-best 14.5 points per
football-shaped podium in the center of game by throwing three touchdown
the field. There, America’s newest “Golden passes and completing 24-of-39 passes for
Boy”hoisted the Vince Lombardi Trophy 304 yards. He then joined Bart Starr as
and was given his signature title belt by the only quarterbacks in Packers history
teammate Clay Matthews. to be named MVP of a Super Bowl.That
The Green Bay Packers were NFL capped a memorable postseason in which
champions once again, courtesy of their Rodgers threw for 1,094 yards and nine
thrilling 31–25 win over Pittsburgh in the touchdown passes. The only quarterback
Super Bowl XLV. And Rodgers—who was prior to Rodgers to throw for more than
named the game’s Most Valuable Player— 1,000 yards and nine TDs in one postsea-
was the biggest reason why Green Bay son was Kurt Warner.
could be called Titletown once again.“It is Rodgers had led the Packers to three
Aaron Rodgers is all smiles during player introductions before a 2010 preseason scrimmage. And why not—the
Packers were being picked by many as the favorite to win it all.
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LEADER OF THE PACK
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