Aaron Rodgers

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Rodgers' journey began at Chico State, where his father, Edward Wesley Rodgers, played offensive line. Encouraged by his father's advice against partying, Aaron focused on sports, eventually moving to Beaverton, Oregon, before returning to Chico for high school. At Pleasant Valley High School, he set records with 4,421 passing yards and a single-season total of 2,466 yards. Despite being rejected by Florida State and only offered a walk-on spot at Illinois due to his unimposing 5 ft 10 in stature, he transferred to Butte College. There, he threw 26 touchdowns in his freshman season, catching the eye of Cal coach Jeff Tedford. At the University of California, Rodgers set school records for lowest interception percentage (1.43% in 2003) and consecutive completions (26). His performance against USC in 2004, where he completed 85.3% of passes, helped lead Cal to a top-five ranking before he entered the 2005 NFL draft.

In Their Own Story

In the 2005 NFL draft, Rodgers expected to be picked by his childhood team, the San Francisco 49ers, but they selected Alex Smith instead. He slid to the 24th overall pick, chosen by the Green Bay Packers as Brett Favre's future replacement. After three years as a backup, he took over in 2008. In 2010, he led the Packers to a Super Bowl XLV victory, earning MVP. His dominance peaked in the following decade; he was named AP Athlete of the Year in 2011 and won league MVP four times (2011, 2014, 2020, 2021), becoming the fifth player to win consecutive MVPs. He led the NFL six times in touchdown-to-interception ratio and holds the best career ratio at 4.34. In 2023, he was traded to the New York Jets for two seasons before being released after 2024. He then signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, leading them to a division title that season.

Reader's Guide

Rodgers is defined by his historic efficiency and accuracy. He holds the NFL record for the best touchdown-to-interception ratio (4.34) and the lowest career interception percentage (1.4%). His single-season passer rating record stands at 122.5, achieved while holding the highest rating throughout the entire 2010s decade. Beyond passing, he led the league in total touchdowns three times (2011, 2016, 2020) and touchdown passes twice (2016, 2020). His accolades include four Best NFL Player ESPY Awards and being one of six Jeff Tedford-coached quarterbacks drafted in the first round. In the postseason, he ranks second in touchdown passes and touchdown-to-interception ratio, fourth in passing yards, and eighth in passer rating. His college record at Cal included setting a school record for lowest single-season interception rate (1.43%) and tying an NCAA record with 23 consecutive completions.

Did You Know?

• Rodgers was rejected by Florida State and only offered a walk-on spot at Illinois due to his stature of 5 ft 10 in and 165 pounds.
• He is the first player in NFL history to have a career regular-season passer rating over 100.
• In 2004, he set a Cal single-game record with an 85.3% pass completion percentage against USC.
• Rodgers was featured on the front page of the Ukiah Daily Journal at age ten for his performance in a basketball free throw competition.
• He holds the NFL record for the best career touchdown-to-interception ratio at 4.34.