Green Bay Packers: The top 5 moves made by GM Ted Thompson
By Matt George
1. Drafting Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers blows a kiss to the crowd after the 2014 NFC Divisional playoff football game against the Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field. Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports photograph
If you ask Aaron Rodgers what was one of the worst experiences in his NFL career, he might lean toward the 2005 draft.
Rodgers was widely projected to be drafted by his childhood team, the San Francisco 49ers. Instead, he slipped all the way to the 24th selection and was drafted by the Green Bay Packers.
The only problem?
The Packers already had a quarterback in NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre. It may have seemed as a waste of a first round pick at the time, but nobody will argue that today.
Rodgers had the luxury of sitting his first three seasons and learning from one of the greatest, while also developing in Mike McCarthy’s well-known quarterback camp.
His first season as a full-time starter could be forgettable. The Packers finished 6-10. However, Rodgers threw for 4,038 yards and 28 touchdowns. Over the next six seasons, Rodgers wouldn’t have a losing season again.
Since becoming a starter, Rodgers has passed for more than 4,000 yards in a season five times, finished with a passing record of over 100.0 six times, has been named a Pro Bowler four times, an All-Pro three times, a Super Bowl champ and Super Bowl MVP once and named league MVP twice.
While most teams struggle to fill the void left by a great player when he leaves or retires, the Packers are one of the rare teams that replaced a future NFL Hall of Famer with another future NFL Hall of Famer.
Oh yeah, Rodgers was Thompson’s first draft pick as general manager as well.