Getty Former NFL player Brett Favre speaks onstage during day 3 of SiriusXM at Super Bowl LIV on January 31, 2020 in Miami, Florida.
Brett Favre isn’t looking to undersell just how great he thinks Aaron Rodgers has been for the Green Bay Packers in 2020.
The legendary pair of Packers quarterbacks had a candid conversation with each other Friday on SiriusXM NFL Radio, one that showed off the mutual respect between Favre and Rodgers as they discussed both then and now. The retired Hall of Famer also made a rather bold declaration about Rodgers’ play throughout the 2020 season.
“I’ve got nothing but high praise,” Favre told Rodgers on The SiriusXM Blitz, via Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated. “I don’t know if a quarterback has ever played as good as you’re playing this year. I know it won’t matter unless you win the big one, but (co-host) Bruce (Murray) and I were just talking about it and he made the comment, and you probably heard it, that there’s a different feel this year from the outside looking in. It’s a different team.”
Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers on @SiriusXMNFL:
“You’re playing great. I don’t know if a QB has ever played as good as you’re playing this year.”
Rodgers, who would join Favre as a 3-time MVP, called Favre winning 3 in a row “unheard of.”
Ended by saying they loved each other.
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Favre’s Praise Has Been Continuous in 2020
Favre and Rodgers have cultivated a friendly relationship in the years since Green Bay’s dramatic transition between the two quarterbacks, but the 51-year-old legend has been especially effusive in his praise for his successor throughout 2020.
Favre was one of the first to publicly jump into Rodgers’ corner when the Packers traded up to draft quarterback Jordan Love in the first round, deeming Rodgers “too good” to be replaced. He also made it clear he believes Rodgers has “many good years” left in his NFL career, regardless of Love, so long as he can stay healthy.
By December, Favre had seen enough to take his comments a step further. Here’s what he said on SiriusXM (via Sports Illustrated) one day after Rodgers became the seventh player in NFL history to throw 400 touchdown passes:
“I think he, aside from the (number of) Super Bowls, he may be the greatest player ever. I say this all the time, Tom Brady is the greatest player ever if we’re measuring from a Super Bowl (perspective). And, statistic-wise, Tom has put up tremendous statistics and has won six Super Bowls. But Aaron is, believe me, the Packers are good year in and year out because of him. And his statistics certainly speak for themselves. I mean, he’s not doing anything to jeopardize the team. I’m just amazed at how prolific he is and takes care of the ball in the process. Just an incredible player (and) makes everyone around him just so much better.”
Rodgers Remains MVP Betting Favorite
Without a doubt, Rodgers has delivered a special year for the Packers.
The 37-year-old veteran finished the 2020 regular season with 48 touchdown passes to just five interceptions, throwing more touchdowns than Green Bay had punts (46) and delivering at least three per game in 12 of the Packers’ 16 games. Rodgers’ precision and effectiveness also reached new heights in 2020 with a career-best completion percentage (70.7) and touchdown percentage (9.1).
In the big picture, Rodgers’ outstanding play has been a power source for the top-seeded Packers (13-3), who now have the ability to ensure the NFC’s road to the Super Bowl can run through Lambeau Field. If more of the same in the playoffs can yield two more wins, he will be playing for the second NFL championship title of his career.
Rodgers will certainly have an opportunity to win over more MVP voters with his upcoming playoff performances, but it might not be necessary for him to win the award for the third time. According to OddsShark’s latest update, Rodgers remains the odds-on favorite (-2000) to take home the NFL MVP award for 2020 with fellow quarterbacks Josh Allen (+900) and Patrick Mahomes (+1600) his nearest challengers.
If Rodgers wins the MVP, he would match Favre as a three-time winner; although, Favre won his titles in consecutive seasons from 1995-97.
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