[ad_1]
<div _ngcontent-c16 = "" innerhtml = "
Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy (right) and quarterback Aaron Rodgers have formed a winning team since Rodgers became the Packers starter in 2008. (AP Photo / Mike Roemer)
For years, Aaron Rodgers has stewed.
The ultra-competitive quarterback has always believed he should have been the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL. Instead, San Francisco picked quarterback Alex Smith.
Worse is the fact that Mike McCarthy – Rodgers 'coach in Green Bay – was one of the 49ers' decision-makers who succeeded Rodgers.
To top it off, Rodgers spent more than four hours in the green room of the Javits Convention Center in New York before Green Bay broke him.e Choose in the draft.
"Of course, when you sit in the green room, you just want to get out of there," Rodgers said on the night of his selection.
For years, this snub – and that day of falling – led Rodgers.
Today, however, Rodgers knows that he has found himself in a perfect place, while Smith has had a much more difficult journey.
These two men, who will be forever linked, will meet on Sunday when Rodgers and the Packers will travel to Washington to play Smith's Redskins.
"We are both old enough now," Rodgers told reporters Wednesday. "I do not think about him and him at 20, 21 years old. I think of other times that I see it. But he's a great guy. Over the years, we have developed a friendship and I have always enjoyed watching his career and his success. "
Thirteen years ago, Rodgers was extremely envious of Smith.
San Francisco general manager Scott McCloughan, head coach Mike Nolan and McCarthy narrowed their selections for the No. 1 seed ahead of Smith, Rodgers and Receiver General Braylon Edwards. The 49ers – who played the 2004 season with Tim Rattay and Ken Dorsey at the quarterback – desperately needed a signalman and finally decided to choose Smith.
Rodgers, who grew up in Chico, California, and played at the University of California, was crushed when his home team took a different direction.
"It really bothered me a lot," Rodgers said in an interview in 2014.
It was the best thing that happened to Rodgers.
Smith was thrown into the fire from the first day and in 2005, he was asked to lead a terrible attack. In Smith's rookie season, he made a touchdown, 11 interceptions and a 40.8 mark.
Smith improved gradually over the next two years, suffered a right shoulder fracture in 2008, and then had a break-up season in 2009 with 18 touchdowns and 12 choices.
Smith and the 49ers stepped back in 2010, but eventually made gains and reached the NFC championship game in 2011. But in 2012, Smith lost his job at Colin Kaepernick, and was eventually traded to Kansas City .
After five years with the Chiefs, Smith was traded to Washington in January, so Kansas City could make way for Patrick Mahomes. Although playing for three teams, Smith went to three Pro Bowls, launched over 32,000 yards and was the NFL leader in 2017.
"Looking back over the years, as a quarterback who has played at a high, successful quarterback who has played in so many systems, I think he's done a remarkable job," he said. McCarthy about Smith. "This is the third football team he's playing with, so he brings a lot of leadership, a lot of experience, he gives you a lot of flexibility. I am therefore proud of the career he has created. "
There is no way to know how Rodgers would have behaved if he had been the first choice in San Francisco. The 49ers were in disarray in 2005, and Smith survived.
What is certain, however, is that Green Bay was the perfect landing point for Rodgers.
Rodgers sat behind Brett Favre for three seasons and had the chance to grow – something incredibly rare for today's NFL first-round pick. And when Rodgers' time finally arrived in 2008, he was ready.
Rodgers led the Packers to the playoffs in 2009, his second year as a starter. Rodgers led Green Bay to a Super Bowl XLV win in 2010 and won the MVP honors in this game.
Rodgers won the NFL Awards in 2011 and 2014. Rodgers has also been named to six Pro Bowls and is the NFL career leader in the passer rating (103.8).
Over the years, the fact of not having been written in first position has decreased. Rodgers and Smith have become friends and root each other when they do not clash.
"He and I are in our 14th season," Rodgers said of Smith. "He was part of a few more teams than me, but he has accumulated numbers wherever he went, he has managed an incredible class, I believe, difficult situations and strange situations, and I'm really proud of him. as a friend as a comrade 2005
McCarthy is also very proud of how everything worked for Rodgers – and the Packers.
"Things are happening for a reason," McCarthy said. "Life is opportunity and everything you do with them. I was never too worried about the opportunities I had not had. I have always focused on those who have been given to me and (Rodgers) is an excellent example.
">
Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy (right) and quarterback Aaron Rodgers have formed a winning team since Rodgers became the Packers starter in 2008. (AP Photo / Mike Roemer)
For years, Aaron Rodgers has stewed.
The ultra-competitive quarterback has always believed he should have been the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL. Instead, San Francisco picked quarterback Alex Smith.
Worse is the fact that Mike McCarthy – Rodgers 'coach in Green Bay – was one of the 49ers' decision-makers who succeeded Rodgers.
To top it off, Rodgers spent more than four hours in the green room of the Javits Convention Center in New York before Green Bay broke him.e Choose in the draft.
"Of course, when you sit in the green room, you just want to get out of there," Rodgers said on the night of his selection.
For years, this snub – and that day of falling – led Rodgers.
Today, however, Rodgers knows that he has found himself in a perfect place, while Smith has had a much more difficult journey.
These two men, who will be forever linked, will meet on Sunday when Rodgers and the Packers will travel to Washington to play Smith's Redskins.
"We are both old enough now," Rodgers told reporters Wednesday. "I do not think about him and him at 20, 21 years old. I think of other times that I see it. But he's a great guy. Over the years, we have developed a friendship and I have always enjoyed watching his career and his success. "
Thirteen years ago, Rodgers was extremely envious of Smith.
San Francisco general manager Scott McCloughan, head coach Mike Nolan and McCarthy narrowed their selections for the No. 1 seed ahead of Smith, Rodgers and Receiver General Braylon Edwards. The 49ers – who played the 2004 season with Tim Rattay and Ken Dorsey at the quarterback – desperately needed a signalman and finally decided to choose Smith.
Rodgers, who grew up in Chico, California, and played at the University of California, was crushed when his home team took a different direction.
"It really bothered me a lot," Rodgers said in an interview in 2014.
It was the best thing that happened to Rodgers.
Smith was thrown into the fire from the first day and in 2005, he was asked to lead a terrible attack. In Smith's rookie season, he made a touchdown, 11 interceptions and a 40.8 mark.
Smith improved gradually over the next two years, suffered a right shoulder fracture in 2008, and then had a break-up season in 2009 with 18 touchdowns and 12 choices.
Smith and the 49ers stepped back in 2010, but eventually made gains and reached the NFC championship game in 2011. But in 2012, Smith lost his job at Colin Kaepernick, and was eventually traded to Kansas City .
After five years with the Chiefs, Smith was traded to Washington in January, so Kansas City could make way for Patrick Mahomes. Although playing for three teams, Smith went to three Pro Bowls, launched over 32,000 yards and was the NFL leader in 2017.
"Looking back over the years, as a quarterback who has played at a high, successful quarterback who has played in so many systems, I think he's done a remarkable job," he said. McCarthy about Smith. "This is the third football team he's playing with, so he brings a lot of leadership, a lot of experience, he gives you a lot of flexibility. I am therefore proud of the career he has created. "
There is no way to know how Rodgers would have behaved if he had been the first choice in San Francisco. The 49ers were in disarray in 2005, and Smith survived.
What is certain, however, is that Green Bay was the perfect landing point for Rodgers.
Rodgers sat behind Brett Favre for three seasons and had the chance to grow – something incredibly rare for today's NFL first-round pick. And when Rodgers' time finally arrived in 2008, he was ready.
Rodgers led the Packers to the playoffs in 2009, his second year as a starter. Rodgers led Green Bay to a Super Bowl XLV win in 2010 and won the MVP honors in this game.
Rodgers won the NFL Awards in 2011 and 2014. Rodgers has also been named to six Pro Bowls and is the NFL career leader in the passer rating (103.8).
Over the years, the fact of not having been written in first position has decreased. Rodgers and Smith have become friends and root each other when they do not clash.
"He and I are in our 14th season," Rodgers said of Smith. "He was part of a few more teams than me, but he has accumulated numbers wherever he went, he has managed an incredible class, I believe, difficult situations and strange situations, and I'm really proud of him. as a friend as a comrade 2005
McCarthy is also very proud of how everything worked for Rodgers – and the Packers.
"Things are happening for a reason," McCarthy said. "Life is opportunity and everything you do with them. I was never too worried about the opportunities I had not had. I have always focused on those who have been given to me and (Rodgers) is an excellent example.
