An opportunity to create another legacy moment is approaching for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
In fact, Sunday’s trip to Chicago can mean a lot to the final aspect of Rodgers’ legacy, especially in Green Bay.
All the games against the Bears added meaning, but the end of Sunday’s season offers an opportunity for the Packers to conquer the No. 1 seed in the NFC and set the way for the Super Bowl through Green Bay, and also an opportunity for Rodgers to conquer his third MVP, an important individual milestone.
With a win on Sunday, Rodgers could take a big step to play in his second Super Bowl and a big step to join an exclusive group of players with three or more MVPs.
Only 12 quarterbacks had two or more Super Bowl victories, and only five players had MVP three or more times. Only two players – Peyton Manning and Tom Brady – have won at least two Super Bowls and at least three MVPs.
Legacy is important for all great players, whether they publicly admit it or not. Rodgers was never ashamed to discuss the importance of his own legacy within the Packers franchise and the history of the game.
The importance of a victory on Sunday cannot be underestimated. Since becoming the starting quarterback in 2008, Rodgers and the Packers have played four games for the NFC title. All four games were played at different locations in Green Bay, a fact that Rodgers repeatedly mentioned. By securing seed # 1, the Packers would create a scenario in which a victory would guarantee a game for the NFC title at Lambeau Field.
Rodgers’ long-awaited second appearance in the Super Bowl may depend on whether or not the Packers can secure first place, which includes goodbye in the first round and guaranteed home games during the postseason. As Rodgers well knows, nothing is certain and the challenge increases when playing for a trip to the Super Bowl away from home.
Rodgers knows moments of legacy against the Bears or at Soldier Field. He won his first game for the NFC title in Chicago. He hit Randall Cobb for the game’s winning and decisive division touchdown in Chicago in 2013. He played six touchdowns in a half against Bears in 2014. He came back and beat the Bears on one leg at the opening of the season in 2018. Games against the Bears set the stage for many of Rodgers’ greatest professional accomplishments.
Sunday is setting a similar scenario.
Rodgers is probably performing strongly for a third MVP. He is, by betting standards at least, the big favorite over Patrick Mahomes who entered Week 17. Mahomes did not play well in Week 16 and will be sitting on Sunday, leaving Rodgers in the spotlight during the final. The Packers quarterback created 47 touchdowns and has the league’s highest passer rating in 2020. By most statistical measures, Rodgers is the first choice, but voters can and will be influenced by what happens on Sunday at Soldier Field. Rodgers can almost win the MVP, but he can also lose it. Individually, the stakes are high.
Another factor to consider: Rodgers and his teammates are suffering from the unexpected loss of the left Pro Bowl tackle David Bakhtiari, who injured his knee during training on Thursday and will miss the rest of the season. The impact of his injury threatens to torment Green Bay’s chances in the Super Bowl. On Sunday, Rodgers and the Packers have a chance to recover from the injury, win one for their injured teammate and build a little confidence by going into the playoffs without one of their best players.
Undoubtedly, Rodgers understands the moment and what lies ahead, both as a team and as an individual. Who knows if he’ll have another chance like that again as the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. Their future is unclear, and teams change rapidly each year in the NFL. With an increasingly lower salary cap, this team will look very different next year. The Packers, with an elite attack and upward defense, are one of the few legitimate contenders in the Super Bowl. The window is now open.
Aaron Rodgers’ legacy as a future Hall of Fame quarterback is already incredible, but the 37-year-old man can write some more exciting chapters in the next month or so, starting Sunday in Chicago. The chance to win seed # 1 and another MVP is the legacy that awaits you at Soldier Field at the end of the season.