Now that Aaron Rodgers has brought the Lombardi Trophy back to Green Bay with a 31-25 Super Bowl victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, he has placed thoughts of his predecessor glory years in the back of most Packer fan’s memories.

Of course, there may still be the delusional few, who refuse to accept the decision to insert Rodgers as the Packer’s starter three years ago, but these are the same few still rocking a mullet and their finest Def Leppard T-shirt.

Everybody is familiar with the former Packer signal caller’s penchant for offseason indecision.  It was no different in 2008, when he informed the Packer’s that he intended on retiring, and Green Bay’s front office, led by Packer GM Ted Thompson, decided to move on.

The decision was not a popular one at the time but it is now very clear that it was the correct one.  On the one hand, you had a legend; the undisputed, albeit aging, NFL Iron Man who had an impressive consecutive game streak finally halt at 297 games.   On the other, you had a backup QB in Rodgers, the much-disputed and inexperienced player that more than twenty teams passed on three years earlier.

Fortunately for Packer fans, Thompson knew what he had, and he knew what he had to do.

Thompson is owed an apology from most of those same fans, and he is due credit for his forethought.  His decision to call the former QB’s bluff ranks up there in player personnel moves with former GM Ron Wolf’s signing of Reggie White in the mid 90’s.  The latter decision propelled the Pack to a Super Bowl victory.

While Rodgers became the MVP of Super Bowl XLV after completing 24-of-39 passes for 304 yards with three TD’s and no picks and the former QB expresses his desire to hang up his cell phone (ahem) and cleats to retire. . . rest assured, Packers fans will never forget you, Brent.

Used with permission of the author.

Pat Schueppert is a contributor to Sports Climax who grew up on the frozen tundra and bleeds Packer green and gold. The Wisconsin native, while staying loyal to his teams in his home state declares he has never worn a ‘Cheesehead’ and “The Bears still suck!”

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