Aaron Rodgers confident 2021 can be a special season for the Packers

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is ready for whatever the season throws at him. Entering his 14th year as the starter, Rodgers is looking for his second Super Bowl victory.

The former California quarterback said this season feels unique. At 37, he realizes his window to win the league’s biggest game is getting smaller.

“It definitely does (feel different this year),” Rodgers said. “There is a lot of unknowns. So, the right perspective is needed, I think, from all of us. But I think we don’t feel pressure. I’m speaking personally and I can’t speak for everybody. But the feel that I get with the energy in the locker room is not pressure. It’s focus. I think it’s the right perspective and the right type of focus. We know we have a talented team, we know what the expectations are.”

The Packers finished the regular season 13-3 this past season. They lost in the NFC Championship Game to eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay.

Rodgers is coming off of an MVP campaign in which he led the league in touchdowns (48) and completion percentage (70.7%). This coincided with a monster year from receiver Davante Adams, who set career highs in receptions (115) and touchdowns (18).

Rodgers isn’t the only one who believes this team can be special. Adams echoed his quarterback’s sentiments saying this Green Bay team wants it more than in other years.

“This is probably the hungriest team that I’ve ever been around, honestly, just because we have been so close a number of times now,” Adams said. “So, I feel like everybody in the back of their mind, they know how reachable it is and realistic we are to getting to that final step. We just haven’t really had the opportunity to showcase what we can do in the real dance. Just being so close a few times, it opens up everybody’s eyes. It’s like, ‘All right, we’re going to go deep into the playoffs.’

“We’ve got a team that we won 13 games back-to-back years, that’s really tough to do. It’s hard to win one game in this league. So, just realizing when you get that close so many times, I think it’s kind of a little bit of a wake-up call to people just how good we actually are. It’s a real determined and definitely a different type of focus, and I feel like the young guys understand what’s been going on before they got here.”

Rodgers has made the Super Bowl only once in his long career, but he won that game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The quarterback knows most good seasons start with a strong showing in the opener. He is 10-3 in such games with Green Bay.

“I think the first start in 2008 [against Chicago] was a little different than this one, and then I think the ’19 opener [against Chicago] was probably a little different, too, with a new system,” Rodgers said. “Those ones felt a little bit different nerves-wise. The 2011 one after winning the Super Bowl was probably the most fun and special, playing the Saints, got off to a really fast start and held on for a win there. Yeah, we’ve done pretty good.”

The Packers once again open against New Orleans on Sunday. If Aaron Rodgers can lead Green Bay to a victory, it could only be the beginning to a memorable season.