oregonpackfan
10-09-2008, 09:29 AM
Green Bay's Rodgers enjoys ties to Oregon
The quarterback, who attended a Beaverton middle school before moving to California, expects many friends to be at game in Seattle
FACTBOX
• The Seahawks
Thursday, October 09, 2008
AARON FENTRESS
The Oregonian Staff
Five quarterbacks who graduated from high school in Oregon are in the NFL. That number could have been six had Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers stayed in the Beaverton School District a little longer.
Rodgers, whose team faces the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday at Qwest Field, attended Whitford Middle School and would have attended Beaverton High School had his family not moved back to his birthplace, Chico, Calif., where he starred at Pleasant Valley High School.
Rodgers said he enjoyed his time in Oregon and has many friends in the area whom he has stayed in touch with over the years.
Advertisement
"The Pacific Northwest has a special place in my heart," he said. "We lived there as a family for a few years. I love the area, Portland especially. The rain really didn't bother me too much. There's definitely a number of people who will be coming up this week, and I really look forward to seeing those people and playing Seattle for the first time. There will be, I'm guessing, a few dozen."
Had Rodgers remained in Oregon, he would be among the current Oregon-bred quarterbacks in the NFL, a list that consists of the New York Jets' Kellen Clemens (Burns) and Erik Ainge (Glencoe of Hillsboro), Philadelphia's A.J. Feeley (Ontario), Houston's Alex Brink (Sheldon of Eugene) and Cleveland's Derek Anderson (Scappoose).
Rodgers, currently nursing a sore throwing shoulder, attended California and was the Packers' first-round pick in 2005. He spent three seasons behind Brett Favre, now with the New York Jets.
The burden of succeeding Favre has not been easy. Although the Packers (2-3) have struggled, Rodgers has posted a 95.5 passer rating, sixth in the NFC.
"I've been preparing myself for this for the last three years, knowing that, at some point, I was going to get an opportunity, and knowing that the comparisons with Brett would be there my entire career," Rodgers said. "I embrace those, and any time I'm mentioned in the same sentence with him, it's an honor. It really is."
Aaron Fentress: 503-221-8211; aaronfentress@news.oregonian.com Read his NFL blog at blog.oregonlive.com/nfl
The quarterback, who attended a Beaverton middle school before moving to California, expects many friends to be at game in Seattle
FACTBOX
• The Seahawks
Thursday, October 09, 2008
AARON FENTRESS
The Oregonian Staff
Five quarterbacks who graduated from high school in Oregon are in the NFL. That number could have been six had Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers stayed in the Beaverton School District a little longer.
Rodgers, whose team faces the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday at Qwest Field, attended Whitford Middle School and would have attended Beaverton High School had his family not moved back to his birthplace, Chico, Calif., where he starred at Pleasant Valley High School.
Rodgers said he enjoyed his time in Oregon and has many friends in the area whom he has stayed in touch with over the years.
Advertisement
"The Pacific Northwest has a special place in my heart," he said. "We lived there as a family for a few years. I love the area, Portland especially. The rain really didn't bother me too much. There's definitely a number of people who will be coming up this week, and I really look forward to seeing those people and playing Seattle for the first time. There will be, I'm guessing, a few dozen."
Had Rodgers remained in Oregon, he would be among the current Oregon-bred quarterbacks in the NFL, a list that consists of the New York Jets' Kellen Clemens (Burns) and Erik Ainge (Glencoe of Hillsboro), Philadelphia's A.J. Feeley (Ontario), Houston's Alex Brink (Sheldon of Eugene) and Cleveland's Derek Anderson (Scappoose).
Rodgers, currently nursing a sore throwing shoulder, attended California and was the Packers' first-round pick in 2005. He spent three seasons behind Brett Favre, now with the New York Jets.
The burden of succeeding Favre has not been easy. Although the Packers (2-3) have struggled, Rodgers has posted a 95.5 passer rating, sixth in the NFC.
"I've been preparing myself for this for the last three years, knowing that, at some point, I was going to get an opportunity, and knowing that the comparisons with Brett would be there my entire career," Rodgers said. "I embrace those, and any time I'm mentioned in the same sentence with him, it's an honor. It really is."
Aaron Fentress: 503-221-8211; aaronfentress@news.oregonian.com Read his NFL blog at blog.oregonlive.com/nfl