Record chase puts Packers’ Rodgers in nostalgic mood
GREEN BAY, WIS. — Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is feeling nostalgic and cherishing every moment as he moves closer to breaking the franchise record for career touchdown passes.
His 442 touchdown passes put him in a tie with Brett Favre, his Hall of Fame predecessor. Rodgers can overtake Favre on Saturday when the Packers (11-3) host the Cleveland Browns (7-7).
Rodgers and Favre exchanged text messages after Rodgers reached No. 442 in a 31-30 victory Sunday at Baltimore. The gist of Favre’s message was to enjoy the ride because it goes so fast and ends before you realize it.
The 38-year-old Rodgers had offered a similar message to his teammates Sunday as he told them to appreciate clinching a third straight NFC North title.
As Rodgers reflected on Favre’s text message during a Zoom session with reporters on Tuesday, he quoted from the series finale of “The Office,” when Andy Bernard says that “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.”
“I’ve often thought a lot about that (and was) reminded by Favre-y’s comment but to just enjoy these times,” Rodgers said. “Because these are the good old days and you never know when they’re going to be done, and it goes by so quickly.”
This isn’t Rodgers’ first reference to “The Office” this season. The reigning MVP was wearing a T-shirt referencing “The Office” when he arrived for training camp this summer, ending his standoff with team management that threatened to end his Packers tenure before he’d have a chance to break the record.
While Rodgers’ future in Green Bay beyond this season remains uncertain, he is putting together an MVP-caliber performance in his 17th year with the team as the Packers chase their first Super Bowl berth since their 2010 championship season.
After getting picked off twice and failing to reach the end zone in a 38-3 season-opening loss to New Orleans, Rodgers has thrown 30 touchdown passes and only two interceptions in the 13 games since.
He has thrown 13 touchdown passes without an interception over his past four games despite playing with a fractured left pinky toe that has limited his practice time.
Rodgers has thrown 442 touchdown passes while getting intercepted just 93 times. For comparison’s sake, Favre had 286 interceptions to go along with his 442 touchdown passes during his 16 seasons in Green Bay.