It’s 10:30 and I just exhaled. What a Super Bowl. As a Packer fan, all I could think of was sitting in the end zone where the Steelers scored on the last play of the game last year to beat Green Bay. Then I thought of the Super Bowl two years ago when they beat Arizona late. And I assumed that would happen again. Instead the Packers hung on.
I can’t say enough about Aaron Rodgers. When he needed to, he directed the Packers on a drive that sealed the game in the fourth quarter. We have just seen the elite quarterback club add a new member. Perhaps their most impressive one.
There was talk that he might be the number one pick in the draft six years ago. Instead he sat and waited until being taken 24th by Green Bay. The same Green Bay that had a quarterback who seemingly would play forever. So, unlike recent top picks like Sam Bradford and Matt Ryan, Rodgers sat. And sat. And sat.
There was no mentoring of Rodgers by Favre. I’m not criticizing Brett for that, just stating the fact. He wanted to play and didn’t want to help the next guy take his job. I’m not a fan of Favre, but no problem with that. After three seasons of sitting, credit coach Mike McCarthy and GM Ted Thompson for knowing that Rodgers was worth waiting for.
Rodgers’ chance to finally play came with a circus that neither Bradford, Ryan, or any other young QB I can remember had to endure. Rodgers handled himself with amazing class. On top of that, his play on the field has been unbelievable.
The Packers had 16 players, 8 starters, on IR this year. They were 8-6 and faced with having to win their last two regular season games to make the playoffs. So, in order to bring the Lombardi Trophy back home, they had to win 6 straight win or go home games. And they did.
Green Bay is the second youngest team in the NFL. It’s very cool to be a Packer fan right now.
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