05 Jan Getting to Know Green Bay Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers
Name: Aaron Charles Rodgers
Date of Birth: December 2, 1983 (age 37) in Chico, California
Height: 6 ft 2 in Weight: 225 lb
School: University of California, Berkeley
Salary in 2020: Rodgers, last signed an extension with Green
Bay in August 2018. He is signed through the 2023 season, when he will turn 40 that December. According to Spotrac, the four-year deal has a total value of $133 million, with a total guarantee of $98.7 million, including $79.2 million guaranteed at signing. Rodgers gets $11.5 in roster bonuses annually through 2022 and $500,000 in workout bonuses through 2023. Adding it all up, Rodgers makes on average $33.25 million a season, despite having an official base salary of $1.55 million for the 2020 season.
A regular season unlike any other received a fitting ending this past Sunday as Aaron Rodgers put the finishing touches on what could very well be his third NFL MVP campaign. The Packers’ quarterback completed 19-of-24 passes for 240 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions during Sunday’s 35-16 win over Chicago at Soldier Field, clinching Green Bay the top seed in the NFC playoffs for the first time in nine years. It was the 14th time this season Rodgers fashioned a passer rating of at least 100, pushing his season passer rating to 121.5 – second only in NFL history to his record-breaking 122.5 back in 2011. Individually, Rodgers established new franchise records in completion percentage (70.7%) and touchdown passes (48), both of which led the NFL this season.
Pressure doesn’t seem to bother you. Is that something that comes naturally or did you have to work at it?
I think part of it is natural but I think you can train yourself to block out some of that pressure and replace it with confidence. For me, it’s always been about preparation, and the more prepared I can be each week, the less pressure I feel and the more confident I am. As your confidence grows, it’s only natural that the pressure you feel diminishes.
Has money or fame changed you at all through the years?
I think so. I think it has to. I think you have to be aware of how a contract like this changes the way you’re looked at both on the team and outside the building. In general, when you have success on the field, you’re more popular and you have that fame that comes with it. You realize you’re in the public eye more and you’ve got to be a little bit more careful about some of the things you’re doing out in public and make sure you’re smart about the things you say. You’re still going to make mistakes from time to time, but you represent an even greater population and people are that much more looking for you to be in the wrong place at the wrong time or fall down or say something really stupid that’s going to get you in trouble.
What do you think you would be doing if you didn’t play football? I’d have to be competing in something. Whether that’s part of a military team, or coaching. Being involved with sports, because I love the competition.
What is left for you to accomplish in your career?
Well, I don’t say this lightly but I think I still have a lot left in the tank. I think I still have a lot of really good football in front of me. I’d love to win a few more championships. That’s what we play for every year. It’s a tough division, tough conference but I like the challenge of getting myself in really good shape and beating teams with my mind and continuing to play at a really high level. And I think I can do that for an extended period of time.
When you hear people refer to you as the best quarterback in the NFL, what goes through your mind?
That I want to prove it. I want to prove them right if they say that. Or if they don’t say that, I want to change their mind. But it’s all about winning Super Bowls. I’ve been able to accomplish a lot individually as far as statistics go, with the passer rating, touchdowns, touchdowns to interceptions or what have you. I would trade all of that for some more Super Bowls.
If you don’t win another Super Bowl in your career, what do you think your legacy will be?
Well, I don’t like to think in those terms. I’d like to think we’re going to get back there and win another one. I’d be disappointed if we didn’t because you put a lot into it, and we feel like we’ve been close a few times and had some good teams and let a couple slip away. So it would be disappointing to not get back there, but I’m trying to avoid that and get back there this year.