Aaron Rodgers relived the experience of watching the Packers draft his successor.
In the 2020 NFL Draft, which was held virtually during the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Green Bay traded up and selected Jordan Love with the 26th overall pick in the first round.
In the Netflix documentary “Aaron Rodgers: Enigma,” released Tuesday, Rodgers reflected on his perspective at the time.
“I looked at my phone and I got a text from my agent saying, 'Quarterback.' And I thought, 'That's crazy,'” Rodgers said in the documentary.
“Then the pick happened and I immediately got off the couch and didn't react at all. So I went to pour myself some tequila and went back to the couch and I had a feeling we were going to have some interesting conversation. I did it.”
Rodgers appeared live on “The Pat McAfee Show” early in the first round and supported the idea of drafting a wide receiver.
“Well, we haven't drafted a skill position player in the first round in 15 years, so that's kind of a good thing,” said former teammate AJ Hawk when asked if he wanted a wideout. To which Rogers replied:
Love's selection was something of a full-circle moment for Rodgers, who was selected 24th overall in the 2005 NFL Draft as a potential successor to Brett Favre.
Favre famously said it was not his job to coach Rodgers.
Rodgers sat behind Favre for three years until Favre retired after a shocking interception of Giants defensive back Corey Webster in the 2007-08 NFC title game.
When Favre came out of retirement late in the offseason, then-Packers coach Mike McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson opted to continue with Rodgers' contract and trade Favre to the Jets.
Years later, the two iconic former Packers quarterbacks mended their estranged relationship.
“It was important to overcome a lot of those things and move forward,” Rodgers said.
“Over time, you'll be able to see things a little differently. Let's get rid of the ego and have empathy. Let's get into the other person's experience. And obviously I I had to go through that experience a little bit in 2020 and feel what that feels like.”
Recalling this experience, Rodgers ultimately decided in the 2023 offseason that the team would work with Rodgers in a trade to build a better relationship with Love, who became the Packers' starter after being traded to the Jets again. promised.
“Enigma'' is produced by Religion of Sports in association with Skydance Sports and NFL Films.
