Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers sits on the field after throwing an interception against the Detroit Lions during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, in Green Bay, Wis. (Photo courtesy of AP/Morry Gash)
Aaron Rodgers and the Detroit Lions appear to be inseparably linked.
Rodgers spent the first 18 years of his career with the Green Bay Packers before being traded to the New York Jets this offseason. And he was a significant thorn in Detroit’s side during that period, appearing to be their particular boogeyman.
Rodgers had an 18-8 record against the Lions in Green Bay, a 105.1 quarterback rating, and has passed for 6,551 yards and 54 touchdowns with only 12 interceptions.
Rodgers expressed his discontent with the Lions’ success this season during a Tuesday visit on the Pat McAfee Show, owing to his overwhelming dominance over his former opponent. The four-time NFL MVP remarked that he was “not happy” to watch them win the NFC North title over his previous team in the season following his departure from Green Bay, while also admiring several of their players.
“Although I’m in New York, I still want the green and gold to take the north every year,” he remarked. “They have a good football team.” Jared (Goff) has had a terrific season, and (Amon-Ra) St. Brown is a fantastic receiver. They have a lot of people, two really talented running backs, Jahmyr (Gibbs) had a pretty strong year, and I’ve always been a fan of (David) Montgomery, the way he runs the ball, his toughness.
With Rodgers out of the picture, the Lions were picked to win their first division title since 1993 and their first NFC North triumph since the realignment. The Lions accomplished both on Sunday, defeating the Minnesota Vikings 30-24 at US Bank Stadium.
During Rodgers’ tenure in Green Bay (2008-2022), he led the Packers to eight NFC North championships, five NFC Championship games, and one Super Bowl victory.
Rodgers’ final game in a Packers uniform was a 20-16 loss to the Lions on Jan. 8 at Lambeau Field. That defeat gave Dan Campbell his first winning season as Lions coach (9-8), while also eliminating the Packers from the 2022 NFL playoffs.
“(The Lions have) a strong football team.” They’ll be hosting a playoff game. “I think we can all agree that the NFC is pretty deep, right?” Rodgers explained.
“Philly has had its ups and downs. Dallas has seen its ups and downs. Detroit, too, has had moments when they haven’t looked fantastic. The Bears should have been defeated. In Detroit, the Packers defeated them. So I think the NFC is relatively wide open…it’ll be a fascinating last few weeks.”
