In 2005, the Green Bay Packers used their first round selection to build for the future by selecting their future quarterback in Aaron Rodgers with the twenty-fourth pick. Fifteen years later, history repeated itself when the Packers selected what they hope will be their next franchise quarterback in Jordan Love. In lots of ways, these two events seem similar, but there are also some major differences. This Packers quarterback room comparison will answer questions regarding the similarities and differences between the 2005 quarterback room with Brett Favre and Rodgers as opposed to the 2020 quarterback room with Rodgers and Love.
Green Bay Packers Quarterback Room – 2005 vs. 2020
How do Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers compare in their later-age seasons?
When the Packers drafted the heir apparent, in both situations it seemed like the Packers still had a top tier quarterback. Let’s compare Favre’s stats in 2004 versus Rodgers’ in 2019:
Brett Favre (2004): 35 years old, 4088 pass yards, 30 touchdowns, 17 interceptions, 64.1 completion percentage, 10-6 Regular Season record, Loss in Wild Card Round
Aaron Rodgers (2019): 36 years old, 4002 pass yards, 26 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 62.0 completion percentage, 13-3 Regular Season record, Loss in Conference Championship
Rodgers obviously did more to help his team. The year before the Packers picked Love, Rodgers and the Packers were a game away from the Super Bowl. He also had a better regular season record, and fewer turnovers. Favre, however, did have more yards, touchdowns, and a better completion percentage. Yet, the most important stat is nothing that the pair of legends can control: age. Both quarterbacks are well into their thirties at the time they draft the heir apparent, so Green Bay is making the move for the long term future in both cases.
How do Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love compare as prospects?
Rodgers, in his time was, and Love now is seen as a quarterback that has the upside to be fantastic in the NFL. Each quarterback also had one major knock on them. For Rodgers, it was his throwing style, which didn’t translate well into the NFL. The talent was there for Love, but the countless throws that sailed over receivers heads or landed ten feet in front of them made NFL executives wonder if he was worth the pick. One executive said there was “too much bad tape”, and one coach said that Love was a “poor man’s Patrick Mahomes“.
One significant difference between Rodgers and Love was the speculation of where they would go in the draft. In most people’s eyes, Aaron Rodgers was the obvious number one overall pick. After the San Francisco 49ers went a different route, Rodgers just kept sliding down the draft board. For Love, nobody really knew where he would end up. Some people had him in the top ten while others had him out of the first round entirely.
How long will Jordan Love sit behind Aaron Rodgers?
Rodgers sat behind and learned from the veteran Brett Favre for three years (2005-2008). Aaron Rodgers is currently under contract until 2022, so it makes sense that at that time Love will take over the reigns. But if Rodgers goes out and has three fantastic seasons, winning multiple Super Bowls along the way, and wants to keep playing, the Packers find themselves in a predicament. Rodgers could pull a Favre after that and leave Green Bay to join another team. Or, he could retire being only a Packer for his entire career, even if he believes he can keep playing. Love could possibly take over before his contract is up, but that is unlikely.
How will Aaron Rodgers like having a young quarterback backing him up?
Rodgers, likely, would much rather have had the Packers draft someone to help him win a Super Bowl opposed to the player that will someday replace him. Hopefully, Rodgers learns from what happened under Favre. Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers weren’t exactly best buds when they were together; maybe because Favre didn’t want to mentor Rodgers or because of the two clashing egos. Hopefully Rodgers can learn from that and help the young Love while also helping the Packers win a fifth Lombardi trophy.
Can Love do what Favre and Rodgers did and hold down the Packers quarterback position for another 10-15 years?
The most important question: whether Love can be the next in a great line of Packers quarterbacks. This all depends on what head coach Matt LaFleur can get out of him. Love has the upside to be another Patrick Mahomes, but he can also be another Brady Quinn. There is hope he will grow and learn from the legend Aaron Rodgers and really get a good understanding of the offense. If that happens, Love could do what Favre and Rodgers did in bringing the Lombardi Trophy home at some point. Love could end up being the best of the three due to his upside, or go down as a bust. Jordan Love needs to learn in these next couple seasons, so he will be ready when his time comes. The Packers quarterback room has been fantastic for three decades; can LaFleur help Love maintain that trend?
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