Why McGinn Retired: His Memory Is Gone

[pbmax]

I do remember though reading an article after Favre had left Green Bay in which Rodgers was asked what he learned from from playing with Favre. He said Favre stressed the importance of how he conducted himself on the field both in practice and games because everyone is watching the starting QB. So I think there were those moments. I don't know how frequent they were. Favre and Rodgers seemed to get along pretty well in 2007, so it may have been an evolving situation.

Indeed. But that lesson was not the one Bobbo was highlighting in his mini rant.

Rodgers has taken this a step further too. He is always at OTAs, Favre was a ghost for his last few years. And he usually required some kind of agreement with the coach over reps to show up at mini camp. Rodgers gets to reinforce the idea of being present to learn the scheme and be accountable PLUS he and his veterans, after being at OTAs, get excused from minicamp. Very team focused. Some might call it leadership.

He clearly learned some things from Favre including perhaps the most important lesson that sometimes you need to throw on the move, from a bad setup/footwork and with odd arm angles. Rodgers has practiced and perfected many of these.

[pbmax]

No doubt many QBs would benefit from the beginning Rodgers was afforded. Obviously it's not a magic bullet and doesn't mean they'd all end up viable NFL QBs, but it would greatly help many.

Hardly a new question, but what would of happened with Rodgers if he had gone #1 overall to the 49ers?

The fact that this is not done more often is another argument for the fact that some teams are not actually trying their best to be the best.

[Guiness]

The fact that this is not done more often is another argument for the fact that some teams are not actually trying their best to be the best.

that and not looking at Kaepernick? lol

I wouldn't say teams are not doing their best, but that it's hard for the coaching staff/GM to take the long view. If Favre had retired, say, after the 4-12 season you can be pretty sure Rodgers is under center week 1 of 2005.

[pbmax]

that and not looking at Kaepernick? lol

I wouldn't say teams are not doing their best, but that it's hard for the coaching staff/GM to take the long view. If Favre had retired, say, after the 4-12 season you can be pretty sure Rodgers is under center week 1 of 2005.

The long view is what leadership in the front office and ownership should be providing. I agree 5 year contracts and 3 year windows of judgement make that tough.

Did McKenzie get to sit Carr for a year?

What is funny is that the sit for a year chorus died out (despite having Dan Marino and sort of John Elway on its side) as QB contracts soared early in the draft.

That did not stop teams from draft QBs high and playing them right away.

The 2011 CBA stopped the ever escalating contracts but the QB acquisition and playing time model has not yet adjusted.

[ThunderDan]

Other than his draft, the most enduring memory I have of Rodger's early years with the Packers was when he came into a game against the Patriots to replace an injured Favre...and he promptly broke his foot and missed the rest of the season. I remember at that time doubting he would ever be the Pack's starting QB.

That was my first game at Lambeau with my wife. It was really cold, like high of 15 in,late Nov/early Dec. Pats won 35-0.

No one in our section at the end of the game, I made my wife,stay until the end because it was my 1st game.

[Joemailman]

That was my first game at Lambeau with my wife. It was really cold, like high of 15 in,late Nov/early Dec. Pats won 35-0.

No one in our section at the end of the game, I made my wife,stay until the end because it was my 1st game.

I was there. However, the awfulness of the game may have made it seem colder to you than it really was. It was 41, but kinda windy.

Not so fun fact: Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers were a combined 9-27, 105 yards, 0 TD's, 0 INT's, 5 sacks. Passer rating 46.1.

[Bossman641]

McGinn clearly has some kind of nostalgia for the old days that makes him blind to the present. Will miss his draft coverage and game ratings but not his opinion pieces at all.

[Carolina_Packer]

I was there. However, the awfulness of the game may have made it seem colder to you than it really was. It was 41, but kinda windy.

Not so fun fact: Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers were a combined 9-27, 105 yards, 0 TD's, 0 INT's, 5 sacks. Passer rating 46.1.

Wasn't this one of the first games to build evidence against the Patriots leading to Spygate?

[pbmax]

Bad fact #2

By 3rd year, he was better than awful but still struggling.

His numbers in regular season in 2007: 20 or 28, 71%, 1 TD, 0 int, adjusted yards per attempt 8.5 (which is very good) and 3 sacks.

He outplayed Favre versus Dallas. There were a number of occasions that Brett was on his own agenda and looked afraid and unwilling. He did not rediscover the iron man until after Ted shipped him off.

Correct fact #2, if you allow for negative lessons, Rodgers learns from Favre not to have an independent agenda and allow Michael Flipping Strahan to sack him and make poor Bubba Franks look bad. What a weasel move.

[Joemailman]

Bad fact #2

By 3rd year, he was better than awful but still struggling.

His numbers in regular season in 2007: 20 or 28, 71%, 1 TD, 0 int, adjusted yards per attempt 8.5 (which is very good) and 3 sacks.

He outplayed Favre versus Dallas. There were a number of occasions that Brett was on his own agenda and looked afraid and unwilling. He did not rediscover the iron man until after Ted shipped him off.

Correct fact #2, if you allow for negative lessons, Rodgers learns from Favre not to have an independent agenda and allow Michael Flipping Strahan to sack him and make poor Bubba Franks look bad. What a weasel move.

I think Bob was off by a year. The way I remember it:

2005: Bad
2006: Better but not really good.
2007: Looked ready to start.

[pbmax]

I think Bob was off by a year. The way I remember it:

2005: Bad
2006: Better but not really good.
2007: Looked ready to start.

I remember 2006 as being very encouraging, but that might be for improvement alone. He wasn't Mr. August Hasselback until 2007.

His mechanics were fine in 2007. Took McCarthy basically one season to iron it out. And I am not convinced the high carry was that big a deal.

[Bretsky]

McGinn was an amazing writer and a NFL draft stud. I'll miss him a ton

Things are about ready to get way more boring at the JS

[Joemailman]

McGinn was an amazing writer and a NFL draft stud. I'll miss him a ton

Things are about ready to get way more boring at the JS

I agree. Can't tell the other guys apart. I sometimes disagreed with McGinn, but he spurred more debate here than all the other beat writers put together.

[Bretsky]

I agree. Can't tell the other guys apart. I sometimes disagreed with McGinn, but he spurred more debate here than all the other beat writers put together.

Most writers and boring matter of factoid dude's with no personality in their writing.

I have no clue whose interesting articles I will post for others to nitpick to death anymore

[pbmax]

Bad fact #3

he was a little bit better the third year, but not to any degree, and then he just really developed.

In the Winter ahead of Rodgers' 4th year, the Packers put Favre on a timetable for a decision. A timetable he had not, since yearly Hamletizing became a thing in 2000, adhered to previously. This was before OTAs or camp and before FA and the draft. They had time to restock if they needed to.

When they got back word he was retiring, they made exactly zero moves away from Rodgers from the late spring to camp. If McGinn thinks that scouts or Packer coaches couldn't see that Rodgers was going to be the future, he really does believe in miracles and unicorns.

Shorter version: at the end of Rodgers year 3, the Packers thought he was the future and were mad enough about cold Brett to send him packing. The entire holdout/unretire deal doesn't happen if the head coach doesn't think Rodgers is the better choice.