Packers All-Decade Team: Aaron Rodgers leads the way

Quarterbacks

There isn’t much to say here. There has been one person dominating the position in Green Bay and the entire NFL for the better part of the decade. Outside of two seasons curtailed by injury, the Packers have had their primary signal caller for most of the last 10 years.

Aaron Rodgers (2010-Present)

There’s no doubt who this would be. Aaron Rodgers is a two-time Most Valuable Player with a Super Bowl trophy and a Super Bowl MVP to boot. In 2011, Rodgers had one of the best seasons a quarterback could have, setting the NFL record for passer rating in a single season with 122.5. He also had 45 touchdowns to go with 4,643 yards while only throwing six interceptions that season. I can’t help but wonder how much better his stats could have been if Rodgers would have played in the finale against the Lions.

Over the last decade, Rodgers has thrown for 333 touchdowns to only 62 interceptions. That’s better than a 5:1 ratio.  If not for injuries in 2013 and 2017, his stats might be even more amazing. Rodgers has seen times of absolute dominance over this time period, where he has single-handedly carried the Packers. During the last 10 years, the Packers have usually gone as far as Rodgers could take them.

Matt Flynn (2011, 2013-2014)

During the 2013 season when Rodgers broke his collarbone in Week 9, the Packers were in trouble. Seneca Wallace was picked up just before the season began and hadn’t been with the team at all during training camp. Wallace’s starting career in Green Bay lasted all of one series as he injured his hamstring. Scott Tolzien then came in and the Packers didn’t win a game for over a month.

In a twist of fate, Matt Flynn was released by the Raiders and scooped up by the Packers. Flynn then went on to win two of his four starts, keeping the Packers afloat long enough for Rodgers to come back and win the NFC North in Week 17 against the hated Bears.

Flynn was the ultimate backup for Rodgers, even setting a Packers record for touchdowns with six against the Detroit Lions in the 2011 finale. The Packers could have really used Flynn in 2017 when Rodgers was hurt again. That time, they had Brett Hundley and suffered through some horrendous quarterback play keeping them just out of the playoffs.