Rodgers to Overturn Historical Precedent

[Cleft Crusty]

As opening weekend of the 2009 NFL season draws near, the huge story out of Green Bay is the extraordinary quarterback play of Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers lit up the preseason, with QB ratings never before seen in Green Bay, not even under the guidance of QB legend and confirmed prima donna, Brett Favre. What is also true is that Rodgers is about to embark upon a path that will lead him to break the most difficult of all NFL barriers – specifically, to follow immediately after a Hall of Fame quarterback with a second Hall of Fame career. To Cleft Crusty’s knowledge, back-to-back hall of fame quarterback careers within one franchise have been achieved but one time, and that is a special case.

First, let’s look at the failures. Take for example, four recent HOF inductees who played their entire careers for one team: Dan Marino, Troy Aikman, Dan Fouts, and John Elway. Each had a long career and each were followed by a QB who was marginal at best, specifically Jay Fielder (QB rating 74.5), Babe Laufenberg (59.3), Quincy Carter (63), and Brian Griese (75.6). Griese bounced back in 2000, posting a102.9 rating in 11 games, but the circumstances are telling – he was in an explosive offense that generated over 2000 yards rushing, and along with 1776 yards from Gus Ferrote, posted over 4,000 passing yards passing. But Griese wasn’t all that durable or effective, bowing out after 11 games in 2000 and reverting to 78.5 and 85 in 2001 and 2002, yielding to Jake Plummer in 2003. The Broncos still haven’t discovered a replacement for Elway. The Cowboys trotted out Vinny Testaverde and Drew Bledsoe, before switching to Tony Romo in 2006, and he may not even be the answer, having yet to win a playoff game in two (home) attempts. Since Fouts, San Diego has experienced such quarterbacking delights as Jim McMahon, Billy Joe Tolliver, John Friesz, and Stan Humphries who, even when they were winning games, like in 1994, tended to toss interceptions as frequently as touchdowns. Other hall of fame QBs like Jim Kelly (Collins, Flutie), Fran Tarkenton(Tommy Kramer), Terry Bradshaw(Woodley, Malone), and of course Bart Starr(a real collection of stiffs including Zeke Bratkowski, Don Horn, Scott Hunter, Jerry Tagge, and John Hadl), were also followed by duds. To be fair, many of these teams were winding down from several years to decades of success, including the tremendous dynasties in Green Bay, Pittsburgh and San Francisco, so the organizations themselves were in a down cycles.

There are a couple of notable exceptions. First, Steve Young followed on the heels of Joe Montana, but Young was a seasoned, established starter by the time he took the reigns. With two seasons in the USFL, and seven in the NFL including 19 starts for Tampa Bay and 20 more for San Francisco in relief of Montana, Young was a pretty good bet to succeed, even though he struggled at times, giving way on occasion to prototypical backup Steve Bono (As an aside, Cleft Crusty believes that Bono’s father eschewed the clichéd football in the crib at Steve’s birth in favor of a visor and clipboard). Also, Danny White was a notably effective replacement in Dallas for Roger Staubach and Jeff Garcia put together a few years for San Francisco, but neither will make the Hall of Fame like Young.

So we come back now to Rodgers, who is a product of GM Ted Thompson’s philosophy that has become clear over the last several years: Get the franchish QB, hire a head coach with QB coaching skills who can instruct him, and let him develop until ready to lead. In his first season, Rodgers’ win loss record was nothing spectacular, but his performance was. Suffering through a painful shoulder injury, he put up (you know the numbers) 4038yards, 28TDs against 13 interceptions and a QB rating of 93.8, engineering some effective come-from-behind drives in several games, only to be let down by missed and blocked field goals, or collapsing defenses. The sky is the limit for Rodgers, and he may well break the precedent that a new QB, with no starting experience, can follow a hall of fame quarterback with a hall of fame career of his own. Given some of the miserable droughts other teams have suffered – like the Arizona Cardinals hoping to replace Jimmy Conzelman, Detoit trying to find their next Bobby Layne, Cleveland their next Otto Graham (apologies to Brian Sipe) and Chicago their Sid Luckman – Packer fans should be thanking the football gods that they likely will not have to suffer through a century long quarterback drought, let alone a drought lasting even one season.

[Tarlam!]

Rodgers a HOFer? We'll see.

[gbgary]

:glug:

[Scott Campbell]

Nice article Cliffy.

Progression towards a HOF type career requires a couple of things that can't be taken for granted:

1) He has to continue to get better.
2) He has to sustain a high level of performance over a long period of time while remaining durable.
3) He has to have a supporting cast that won't hold him back.


There are still a lot of things that could trip him up. However, so far, so good.

[pbmax]

I beg to complain:

Otto Graham->Milt Plum->Frank Ryan->Mike Phipps->Brian Sipe->Paul McDonald-Bernie Kosar

That looks like Murderer's Row compared to the laundry room attendants they have been running out there since Kosar's bulbous elbow cause Bill Belicheck to release him in order to avoid becoming ill at the sight of the giant lump.

[Cleft Crusty]

I beg to complain:

Otto Graham->Milt Plum->Frank Ryan->Mike Phipps->Brian Sipe->Paul McDonald-Bernie Kosar

That looks like Murderer's Row compared to the laundry room attendants they have been running out there since Kosar's bulbous elbow cause Bill Belicheck to release him in order to avoid becoming ill at the sight of the giant lump.

Cleft Crusty concedes the esteemed career of Milt Plum. Still, Crusty believes Rodgers is on track to make history. Two very good seasons so far and a playoff appearance to boot. Hall of fame QBs are made in the post season. Let's see what this kid has in the second season.

[KYPack]

That is one King Hell post, Cleft.
Lots of good work in that one.

What type of oil treatment do you use in that old clunker you drive?

[Packers4Ever]

Rodgers a HOFer? We'll see.


Believe It !! :glug:

[Joemailman]

Anyone up to providing a QB genealogy on the Bears since Sid Luckman?

[HowardRoark]

Anyone up to providing a QB genealogy on the Bears since Sid Luckman?

Here is a start....

1979: Mike Phipps, Vince Evans, Bob Avellini
1980: Phipps, Evans
1981: Evans
1982: Bob Avellini, Jim McMahon
1983: McMahon, Evans
1984: McMahon, Avellini, Steve Fuller, Rusty Lisch, Greg Landry
1985: McMahon, Steve Fuller
1986: McMahon, Mike Tomczak, Steve Fuller, Doug Flutie
1987: McMahon, Tomczak
1988: McMahon, Tomczak, Jim Harbaugh
1989: Tomczak, Harbaugh
1990: Harbaugh, Tomczak
1991: Harbaugh
1992: Harbaugh, Peter Tom Willis, Will Furrer
1993: Harbaugh, Willis
1994: Erik Kramer, Steve Walsh
1995: Kramer
1996: Kramer, Dave Kreig
1997: Kramer, Rick Mirer
1998: Kramer, Steve Stenstrom, Moses Moreno
1999: Shane Matthews, Cade McNown, Jim Miller
2000: McNown, Matthews, Miller
2001: Miller, Matthews
2002: Miller, Chris Chandler, Henry Burris
2003: Kordell Stewart, Chandler, Rex Grossman
2004: Grossman, Jonathan Quinn, Craig Krenzel, Chad Hutchinson
2005: Kyle Orton, Grossman
2006: Grossman
2007: Grossman, Brian Griese, Orton
2008: Orton, Grossman
2009: Cutler

[Guiness]

that's a great list, Roark. Didn't they give Jim Miller a pretty big contract after he was their QB for that 13 win flash in the pan season?

I remember he also picked himself up an SB ring as NE's 3rd QB.

[Scott Campbell]

I now know why Bearman isn't right in the head.

[pbmax]

I always thought both Miller and Kramer got the short ends of the stick there. Did each get injured? I am pretty sure I remember Miller having something serious go wrong.

[Waldo]

I always thought both Miller and Kramer got the short ends of the stick there. Did each get injured? I am pretty sure I remember Miller having something serious go wrong.

Yeah Miller had a bunch of bad injuries during his career. I wanna say he tore his achilles in Chi, but I can't remember for sure.

FWIW I really like Jim nowadays. He's a regular on Sirius NFL radio. Basically like a laid back version of Jaws. A lot of Sirius listeners tried to get ESPN to pick him up instead of Gruden for Monday Night. I can see him making the jump to TV in the booth pretty soon. I'm pretty sure that he wants to do it, and he's proven himself on the radio.

[MadScientist]

Was that list of Bear "QBs" of any who played at all, or just ones who started a game in a given season. If it is just starters, what really stands out is that only 5 times in 31 years have the Bears had only 1 QB for a season.

[Bossman641]

Was that list of Bear "QBs" of any who played at all, or just ones who started a game in a given season. If it is just starters, what really stands out is that only 5 times in 31 years have the Bears had only 1 QB for a season.

I'm fairly certain that is a list of QB's who started a game

[woodbuck27]

Anyone up to providing a QB genealogy on the Bears since Sid Luckman?

Here is a start....

1979: Mike Phipps, Vince Evans, Bob Avellini
1980: Phipps, Evans
1981: Evans
1982: Bob Avellini, Jim McMahon
1983: McMahon, Evans
1984: McMahon, Avellini, Steve Fuller, Rusty Lisch, Greg Landry
1985: McMahon, Steve Fuller
1986: McMahon, Mike Tomczak, Steve Fuller, Doug Flutie
1987: McMahon, Tomczak
1988: McMahon, Tomczak, Jim Harbaugh
1989: Tomczak, Harbaugh
1990: Harbaugh, Tomczak
1991: Harbaugh
1992: Harbaugh, Peter Tom Willis, Will Furrer
1993: Harbaugh, Willis
1994: Erik Kramer, Steve Walsh
1995: Kramer
1996: Kramer, Dave Kreig
1997: Kramer, Rick Mirer
1998: Kramer, Steve Stenstrom, Moses Moreno
1999: Shane Matthews, Cade McNown, Jim Miller
2000: McNown, Matthews, Miller
2001: Miller, Matthews
2002: Miller, Chris Chandler, Henry Burris
2003: Kordell Stewart, Chandler, Rex Grossman
2004: Grossman, Jonathan Quinn, Craig Krenzel, Chad Hutchinson
2005: Kyle Orton, Grossman
2006: Grossman
2007: Grossman, Brian Griese, Orton
2008: Orton, Grossman
2009: Cutler

That really close to two dozen QB's ( I counted 22 ) since Brett Favre became a Green Bay Packer and to date continues to be the NFL Ironman of all time.

and... Aaron Rodgers is looking very good. I like the way the team has turned it around this season and they have a few hurdles remaining but no less and no matter what lies ahead in these playoffs. An impressive season.

GO PACKERS!

[red]

I always thought both Miller and Kramer got the short ends of the stick there. Did each get injured? I am pretty sure I remember Miller having something serious go wrong.

i thought miller was by far their best QB over the last 15 years

but every year they tried to replace him

i was living in hades (chicago) back then and bears fans just hated him

i thought he had talent, he looked like an oaf but i guess thats better then looking like a douche like their current guy

[hoosier]

I always thought both Miller and Kramer got the short ends of the stick there. Did each get injured? I am pretty sure I remember Miller having something serious go wrong.

i thought miller was by far their best QB over the last 15 years

but every year they tried to replace him

i was living in hades (chicago) back then and bears fans just hated him

i thought he had talent, he looked like an oaf but i guess thats better then looking like a douche like their current guy

Kramer was pretty good in 1995, the year Favre won his first MVP.
comp att pct yds yds/att td int sacks yds rat
EK: 315 522 60.3 3,838 7.4 29 10 15 95 93.5
BF: 359 570 63.0 4,413 7.7 38 13 33 217 99.5

[Cleft Crusty]

Clefty is attempting to get a raise from 58 cents/hour from the UrinalScented. Being right about something - or at least the appearance of being right - might help the 'powers that be' forget about a few prescription drug-related post game chat failures.

[pbmax]

That post is looking good so far Cleft.

[MJZiggy]

Happen to have the TV on while I'm catching up here, and I just saw Rodgers yell "I'm going to Disney World!!"

[HowardRoark]

Clefty is attempting to get a raise from 58 cents/hour from the UrinalScented.

I was under the impression you were retired; I thought this was all pro bono.

Greedy old man.

[Cleft Crusty]

I was under the impression you were retired; I thought this was all pro bono.

Greedy old man.

Clefty has always been semi-retired. I need the income to supplement Medicare part D. There have been a lot of changes in healthcare lately, and a stockpile of medications, even if they are expired and dangerous, is better than going without.

[Upnorth]

NOw that is how you make a prediction. Well done Mr Crusty, well done.

[yooperfan]

I don't know.......... Took him four years to win the division.......:)

[channtheman]

I'm just surprised Rodgers didn't have a season like this sooner.

[mraynrand]

I'm just surprised Rodgers didn't have a season like this sooner.


So is Favre :)

[HarveyWallbangers]

So is Favre :)

No need to step on Chann's joke.

[mraynrand]

I'm just surprised Rodgers didn't have a season like this sooner.


So is Favre :)


No need to step on Chann's joke.

:oops:

[Cleft Crusty]

This is for PBMax. Some poorly paid, overmedicated dyspeptic old fools thought Rodgers was HOF material before the 2009 Dallas game.

And to be honest, Clefty thought even that victory was secured by the defense and Spencer Havner.

[pbmax]

There were definitely believers. But some were decidedly pessimistic about Rodgers until the 2009 season was well underway.

[gbgary]

There were definitely believers. But some were decidedly pessimistic about Rodgers until the 2009 season was well underway.

i was one because i thought he was injury prone. he's been better than anyone could have hoped for. he's going to be gone sooner or later. i hope the board, management, and staff, are taking note and not blowing smoke up each other's butt. if they don't take this mess seriously the nuclear winter i've been dreading, and warning about, may be nigh upon us if he decides to go to free agency.

[woodbuck27]

i was one because i thought he was injury prone. he's been better than anyone could have hoped for. he's going to be gone sooner or later. i hope the board, management, and staff, are taking note and not blowing smoke up each other's butt. if they don't take this mess seriously the nuclear winter i've been dreading, and warning about, may be nigh upon us if he decides to go to free agency.

In 2020 Aaron Rodgers will be an UFA.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/green-bay-packers/aaron-rodgers-3745/

[woodbuck27]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2730208-its-inevitable-aaron-rodgers-will-be-the-nfls-1st-200-million-man

It's Inevitable: Aaron Rodgers Will Be the NFL's 1st $200 Million Man

MIKE FREEMAN ....AUGUST 31, 2017

Comment woodbuck27:

Where will he be playing?

[Pugger]

nm

[woodbuck27]

Unless we cut him, trade him or he retires he'll be a Packer until after the 2019 season.

Your correct.

[mraynrand]

Your correct.

You're

[gbgary]

he signed a 5 year contract that can go 7 if he opts in after 5. he can opt out at the end of this year.
per sportrac.com:


Aaron Rodgers signed a 5 year, $110,000,000 contract with the Green Bay Packers, including a $33,250,000 signing bonus, $54,000,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $22,000,000. In 2017, Rodgers will earn a base salary of $12,550,000, a roster bonus of $600,000 and a workout bonus of $500,000, while carrying a cap hit of $20,300,000 and a dead cap value of $19,700,000. POTENTIAL OUT: 2018, 5 YR, $87,017,029; $0 DEAD CAP

[woodbuck27]

he signed a 5 year contract that can go 7 if he opts in after 5. he can opt out at the end of this year.
per sportrac.com:

Yes.

The Packers can hold onto him (and I assume they would if he informed them he was going on the Open Market) for next Season or 2018-19 Season.

He then will be FREE or a UFA to sign elsewhere for the 2019-20 Season.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/green-bay-packers/aaron-rodgers-3745/

The bottom line for me is that he gets back to 100% !
What he decides to do with his life and career, is all his.