Aaron Rodgers gives surprising take on Brett Favre

It is going on 14 seasons since Aaron Rodgers took over as starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers in place of another legendary Packers quarterback in Brett Favre. The tandem’s relationship might not have started out in the best possible way, but that has not stopped them from developing their relationship over time.

On Tuesday, on the Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers reflected on his time as the understudy of the Green Bay Hall of Famer.

“I think that I was always just trying to stay in the moment back then and keep my head down and get better. You don’t think about the possibility of playing for such a long time for one franchise. It’s just so rare in sports,” said Rodgers. “I said after game … I was in a room for three years with a better player than me for the first time in my career. And I got to see what greatness looks like up close. I got to see the difference between his game and my game and how I needed to improve to get better. I got to see a leadership style and take some things from it that I liked and make notes about things I want to do slightly different.”

Surpassing Farve

On Dec. 19, Rodgers tied Favre’s longstanding Packers record of 442 touchdown passes in the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens. And on Christmas, Rodgers surpassed Farve as the franchise leader in touchdown passes.

Rodgers found Allen Lazard for a touchdown during Saturday’s game against the Cleveland Browns — his 443rd touchdown pass as a Packer. The score officially broke Brett Favre’s franchise record of 442 touchdown passes.

Rodgers on backing up the Packers legend

Favre finished his career as one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game and Rodgers is going to do the same once he decides to hang up his cleats. As a young starter, Rodgers would look up Favre’s records in the Packers’ programs while he was on the bench in Green Bay.

“I’m fortunate to be able to play behind Brett for three years. I learned a lot of incredible lessons and some great fundamentals; working you know behind him, working with Tom Clements and Mike McCarthy and Joe Philbin, and that was meaningful, meaningful time for me.”

Favre played for the Packers from 1992-2007. During that time, he firmly cemented his legacy as one of the all-time greats in NFL history. When he suited up for Green Bay, he threw for 61,655 passing yards and 442 touchdowns, while tossing in 286 interceptions. Favre was known for his gunslinging, no-fear style of playing the position.

“… and I’ve been able to kind of rewrite some of those stories in my own mind, they gave me a deeper love for him and appreciation for him; and I think that’s what our friendship was able to really pick back up and and grow was just this mutual love and respect we have for each other.”