Aaron Rodgers had to sit on the sideline for 3 years near the end of Brett Favre’s career before he could start for the Green Bay Packers. Once Favre left, Rodgers immediately became one of the most accurate and efficient quarterbacks in the league, winning passing titles and eventually a Super Bowl. He is pinpoint accurate and knows when to stay in the pocket and pass and when to drop his head and run for a first down. When I think of who to compare him to in the past, one name comes to mind… Steve Young.
Much like Rodgers, Young had to wait a few years behind a Hall of Fame quarterback himself. In the 1990 playoffs, legendary quarterback Joe Montana suffered an injury that would sideline him for most of the next two seasons (and then lead to his trade to the Kansas City Chiefs), making Steve Young the starting quarterback of the San Fransisco 49ers going forward. This would be Young’s first opportunity to lead a competitive team (I’m choosing to ignore the couple of seasons he spent running for his life in Tampa Bay as a member of the Buccaneers).
From there, Young would win passing titles, a Super Bowl of his own, and was essentially at the top of the quarterback heap for the majority of the ’90s. Only a few quarterbacks ever have had the unique blend of running ability and passing prowess… Fran Tarkenton, Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen come to mind. And though Aaron Rodgers doesn’t run as much as he used to, it’s not because he can’t… it’s because he doesn’t have to.