Aaron Rodgers is the New Packers’ Quarterback

Playing quarterback in the National Football League is a hard job. Replacing a great quarterback is harder.

You don’t have to tell that to Aaron Rodgers. He is the Green Bay Packers’ choice to replace Brett Favre. Favre retired March 4 after 17 seasons in the NFL.

Rodgers has little experience. Favre started every game for 16 seasons. In three seasons as a pro, all with the Packers, Rodgers played in seven games. He completed 35 of 59 passes for 329 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Fans of Rodgers point to the Packers’ November 29, 2007, loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Favre was injured. Rodgers completed 18 of 26 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown. His passer rating was an excellent 104.8.

Packer fans expect much from him
Rodgers is 6’ 2” and 223 lbs. He was the Packers’ first round draft pick in 2005. He led the University of California team to a 17-5 record as a starting quarterback.

In 2004 at Cal, he completed 209 of 316 passes for 2,566 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He was a first-team All-Pacific 10 Conference selection. He was an honorable mention for All-America honors.

Rodgers knows that the Packers and their fans expect a lot from him. “A lot of people are going to focus on what I do,” he said at a news conference shown on NFL.com. “But it’s not what I do. It’s what the team is going to do.”

Rodgers said he is “stepping into a team that’s established. I’m expected to play well, but I’m not expected to carry a team that doesn’t have a lot of talent around the quarterback.”

Knows he will be compared to Favre
He knows that he’s “always going to be compared to Brett [Favre],” but said he isn’t the next Favre. “He did it his way and I’m going to do it my way. Hopefully I can be successful,” Rodgers said.

Favre has a similar view. “I know everyone’s made comments that, boy, [he has] big shoes to fill,” Favre said at a March 6 news conference.

“He doesn’t need to play like Brett Favre,” added Favre. “It’s all about the cast around you; it’s about the coaching staff. If you stay focused on the fact that it’s not about you -- they obviously drafted him because he has the talent, mental capabilities -- he’ll be fine...”

Rodgers is single and resides in Chico, Calif., where he was born in 1983. He starred as quarterback at Pleasant Valley High School in Chico and pitched for the school’s baseball team.

Rodgers enjoys golf and is a Los Angeles Dodgers fan. He plays guitar and piano and listens to country music. He lists the Bible as his favorite book.