Packers fans, I know you love your team, your quarterback, and your city, but it is intellectually dishonest to keep saying that Aaron Rodgers is the greatest quarterback of all time. He simply is not, he has not achieved enough to earn that title. Stay with me though, this is not to bash your beloved icon.
The case for and against Rodgers
There is no doubt that Rodgers is one of the most entertaining on-the-field players in the league, he may even be the most impressive. From his crazy Hail Mary passes to his runs to his pinpoint accuracy, all while maintaining the calmest demeanor, he is simply incredible.
He is a marvel to watch, he is unshakable in big moments, and he may be the most dynamic quarterback the league has ever seen.
But what do we mean when we talk about greatness? Greatness is tough to measure, it is not just about stats, but is about intangibles (of which Rodgers has a lot). But more than anything, greatness is about success. So as accomplished and completely mind boggling as Rodgers is, he currently has only one Super Bowl win. That is not enough to put him in the conversation with Joe Montana (four Super Bowl wins) or Tom Brady (five Super Bowl wins).
In fact, his one Super Bowl, while possibly putting him in a discussion against his predecessor Brett Favre, is not enough to even put him in the conversation with players like Peyton Manning.
Rodgers is awe inspiring, but he is not at a level yet where he can be considered the greatest ever. Being the greatest is about being able to look at one's full body of work and see how it stacks up to others. Super Bowl championships are the ultimate measure of that. While football is a team sport, the quarterback plays a monumental role.
Tom Brady might currently be the greatest of all time. He has had incredible comebacks like Rodgers, insane stats like Rodgers and most of all, has won five Super Bowls. Talent is powerful in this discussion, as Rodgers has tons of it, but a commitment to excellence and winning is the one indisputable measure that can truly mark out greatness.
Pushing Rodgers
It is disrespectful to crown Rodgers the greatest football quarterback of all time before he has achieved all the greatness he is truly capable of achieving. He needs to win more at the very highest level to reach true sports immortality.
Those that claim he is the greatest, you are doing Rodgers a disservice by praising him as a sports god before letting him develop into the true quarterback legend that he can be. He works every day to be better and lead his team to more championships; I know it, you know it, he knows it, it is about winning championships; that is his ultimate goal. That is the only way he will ever enter the conversation for greatest of all time.
