The NFL careers of Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre will be forever linked.
Rodgers' ascendance to MVP immediately followed Favre hauling the Packers back into relevance after a decade of mediocrity. When they write the documentary about the 30 years of Green Bay glory, it will lead with Rodgers' beginning being birthed out of Favre's end as a Packer -- forced or otherwise.
Unlike Favre, Rodgers hopes he never has to change work email addresses.Â
During an appearance on Bill Simmons' HBO program Any Given Wednesday, Rodgers was asked about players staying with one team their entire careers. The discussion centered around Kevin Durant's recent decision to join the Golden State Warriors. Simmons tried to get Rodgers to bite on discussing Favre continuing to play with other teams after the Packers chose Rodgers as their quarterback. Rodgers wouldn't snap at the apple, but did say he hopes to be one of those one-team athletes.
"You look at two of my favorite players from my sports-watching lifetime: Derek Jeter and Kobe Bryant, and now Tim Duncan has just retired," Rodgers said. "Those are three amazing examples of guy who played the entire time, their legacy I think gets made in those later years, where they have already proven to win championships and be at the top of their game ... They stay with the same team, they stick it out. ... I think there's a lot to be said about finishing your legacy with one team. It would be nice if I am able to do that."
Packers fans hope that's the case as well, but things can change quickly in the NFL. Twenty years ago the thought of Favre wearing a purple Vikings jersey was unfathomable. Joe Montana played for the Chiefs. Jerry Rice played on two different teams not named the 49ers. Peyton Manning cried after getting cut by the Colts, then went to two Super Bowls with Denver.
It's easy for a player in his prime to say he wants to stay on the same team the rest of his career. In practice, it happens less than we as fans hope.
