Rodgers vs. Brady: A Not-Quite-Classic Trilogy

Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady, two of the NFL's all-time legends, will meet for a third time on Sunday.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Aaron Rodgers vs. Tom Brady is a dream matchup.

“You got the Tampa Bay Bradys vs. the Green Bay Rodgers. That’s the way I look at this game. It’s a one-on-one battle,” Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari said on Wednesday.

Bakhtiari’s tongue was firmly planted in cheek, for obvious reasons. Both teams would probably rather play 11-on-10 than have their quarterback play defense against the other. Nonetheless, these two legendary quarterbacks will collide on Sunday in Tampa, Fla, for only the third time of their historic careers.

In 2018, the Brady-led New England Patriots beat the Packers 31-17 in Foxboro, Mass. In 2014, Rodgers propelled the Packers to a 26-21 victory over the Patriots in Green Bay. In 2010, Rodgers missed the game due to a concussion.

Of course, if the Packers hadn’t blown the 2014 NFC Championship Game at Seattle, there would have been a rematch in the Super Bowl. Instead, in a classic, Brady went on to win his fourth Super Bowl. That wasn’t the only Super Bowl matchup that was taken away by the football gods. In 2010, Brady won NFL MVP and the Patriots went 14-2 but were stunned by the Jets in the divisional playoffs. The Packers beat the Steelers in that Super Bowl for Rodgers’ one and only championship.

Imagine if these all-time greats had played in two Super Bowls and this would be the fifth or sixth matchup. Instead, Sunday’s game could be the last part of a not-quite classic trilogy. At age 43, who knows how much longer Brady will play. Rodgers’ career probably has several more years left in it, though who knows where he’ll be playing in, say, 2022.

Rodgers and Brady are two of the greatest players in NFL history. The acronym “GOAT” is so overused that it means almost nothing anymore. However, these legends are the personification of the term. They truly are among the greatest of all-time.

Brady has won an unthinkable six championships. He has been victorious in 222 career regular-season starts. Brett Favre and Peyton Manning a distant second with 186 wins. Only the Saints’ Drew Brees can beat Brady’s numbers in terms of touchdown passes, passing yards and completions.

Rodgers has the best passer rating in NFL history. He’s also first in touchdown-to-interception ratio and interception percentage and seventh in touchdown passes. At some point this season, barring injury, he should become the seventh player in NFL history with 400 touchdown passes and the 11th player with 50,000 career passing.

To be sure, if Rodgers throws five touchdown passes and the Packers win, it won’t have anything to do with Brady. And if Brady leads the Buccaneers on a late comeback, it won’t have anything to do with Rodgers.

Rodgers, though, understands the hype machine leading into Sunday’s game, which will be televised nationally by Fox. Always thoughtful, Rodgers appreciates the view of two living legends, both good enough to lead their team to a championship this season, squaring off in a huge NFC game that could impact which team will be playing in Tampa for this year's Super Bowl.

“When it comes to big picture and you guys writing your stories and telling that whole story, which I know is a part of it, it’s two older guys,” Rodgers said. “He’s a little bit older than I am –he’s got me by about six-and-a-half or seven years – but we haven’t played a lot because he’s been in the AFC the majority of his career and I’ve been over here.

“He’s obviously done it at the highest of levels for so long. He’s been an icon at the position. He’s been somebody that we’ve all looked up to for so many years as the standard of excellence. I think there’s a ton of admiration and respect for the way that he’s played the game from so many of us, especially us guys who’ve been in the same era for so many years with him and gotten to compete with him every now and then being an NFC guy. We’ve played some really good quarterbacks the first four weeks. Obviously, playing Drew a couple weeks ago, as well, another 40-year-old guy who’s been doing it for so long. I think fans should enjoy what they get to watch because there are some guys who people have watched for 15-plus, 20-plus years at the position who are some of the best to ever play it. I think it’s good that we just enjoy it for what it is, have respect and admiration for the way that we have played over this time, and enjoy where we’re at in our careers now.”