Can Aaron Rodgers Save His Season by Saving Packers’ Season?
Despite his career-worst statistics, a broken thumb, getting booed by his own fans and the surprisingly poor record of his team, former Cal star Aaron Rodgers can still pull a proverbial rabbit out of the hat if he can get the Packers into the playoffs.
Granted, getting to the postseason is still a long shot for Green Bay, which is 6-8. In fact, ESPN Analytics say the Packers have only a 12% chance of getting to the playoffs after their 24-12 victory over the injury-riddled Rams Monday night when Rodgers had a decent, but not outstanding, performance. But their chances are better than they were two weeks ago when the Packers were 4-8 and not even in the postseason discussion.
"Just everything we needed to happen has happened," said Rodgers after the game regarding the team's postseason prospects, "so things are looking up."
The Packers now are 1½ games behind Washington, which currently holds the seventh and final playoff spot in the NFC with its 7-6-1 record. Plus there are two 7-7 teams – Detroit and Seattle – that stand between Green Bay and the conference’s last postseason slot.
So, first of all, the Packers almost certainly need to win their final three games, and Green Bay might be an underdog in all three. It starts next week with a road game against Miami, which is 8-6 overall and 5-1 at home. Then the schedule continues with home games against the Vikings (11-3) and the Lions, who are playing as well as any team in the NFL at the moment. (Wouldn't it be a hoot if the final NFC playoff berth came down to a duel between two former Cal quarterbacks -- Rodgers and the Lions' Jared Goff?)
Even if they run the table, the Packers would need some help by way of losses by other playoff contenders to get into the postseason tournament.
However, at least the discussion has changed. Now it's about whether Rodgers and the Packers can make a late run at a playoff berth rather than whether Rodgers should retire or be replaced as Green Bay’s quarterback in 2023.
Rodgers’ passer rating of 92.4 for the season coming into Monday’s game was the worst of his career since he became a starter in 2008. That’s 15 NFL seasons, folks. And his 92.2 passer rating in Monday’s game (22-for-30, 229 yards, one touchdown, one interception) won’t change that appreciably.
And who can forget that Green Bay fans booed the four-time MVP during the loss to the Titans three weeks ago, an occurrence Rodgers later called “interesting”?
It looked bad from every angle. Rodgers came into 2022 having been named MVP each of the past two seasons, and no one expected him and the Packers to drop off the map this season despite the departure of Davante Adams.
It wouldn’t be the first time an MVP had a losing record the next season; it has happened fairly often, most recently in 2016 when Carolina went 6-8 a year after Cam Newton won the MVP for the Panthers.
But Rodgers turned 39 earlier this month, and would be 40 before the 2023 season ends. So should a guy who has already thrown 10 interceptions this year, his most in a season in 12 years, still to be the cornerstone of the Packers’ hopes next season?
ESPN.com recently provided logistical reasons why Rodgers will remain the Packers' quarterback next year unless he retires, noting the following.
Contract for 2023: It's complicated. Rodgers' new deal still has $129.6 million in practical guarantees remaining, leaving the Packers in a position in which they really have no choice but to keep him on the roster if he wants.
It’s more detailed than that, as you can see if you read the entire report, but it is sufficient to say Rodgers will be the Packers’ starter next season if he does not retire.
But should he retire? There is one very interesting precedent here. Y.A. Tittle revitalized his career in his late 30s, much like Rodgers. Tittle was the MVP in 1963, when he led the Giants to an 11-2 record at the age of 37. Rodgers won his recent MVPs at the ages of 37 and 38.
But the season after his MVP year, the 38-year-old Tittle suffered an injury in the second game (concussion, cracked sternum), played the rest of the season and the Giants finished with a 2-10 record and Tittle was replaced as the starter late in the year. He retired after that 1964 season.
Rodgers began this season at the age of 38, and has suffered injuries and -- so far -- a losing season. Should Rodgers take a hint from Tittle's decision and hang it up?
Of course, Tittle did not have the millions of dollars awaiting for him in 1965, but Rodgers has considered retiring each of the past two offseasons and he is sure to think about it again after this offseason.
But . . .
What if he could pull off the unlikely achievement of pushing the Packers into the playoffs this year . . . despite a broke thumb . . . despite the inexperience at wide receiver. . . despite disappointing performances by the Packers’ defense . . . despite losing eight of their first 12 games, including a five-game losing streak . . . despite times when Rodgers looked like he just does not have it anymore?
Despite all that, if Green Bay gets to the postseason, will this be considered Rodgers’ greatest achievement? Would it be reason enough to convince Rodgers to return for another season, which would end when he is 40 years old? Or would it be reason to end his career right then and there, more or less on top?
OK, there’s only a 12% chance Rodgers can do it, but after Monday night’s win they can bring out a fine top hat and start looking for a rabbit that might fit inside.
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Cover photo of Aaron Rodgers by Tork Mason, USA TODAY Sports
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