Editor’s note: Through the history of sports, there have been innumerable moments that have made us ask ourselves how things would be based if only a circumstance or decision had been changed. “What would happen if” is a series in which we will examine how the trajectory of several athletes and teams could have looked had important moments in a different direction? While it is impossible to predict how these results would have developed, that does not make it less fascinating to discuss.
Previously: What happens yes … Drew Bledsoe never hurt?
What happens if the 49ers wrote Aaron Rodgers or Alex Smith?
The 2005 NFL draft was one of the most unforgettable in the history of the League, with the image of Rodgers watching 23 players selected before him rooted in most of our minds. Once both he and Smith declared for the Draft in early January, it was a two -horse race to be the first tasks of Marshal to the Draft week.
Smith was just out of an undefeated season with Utah, where he cut a year in which he had 32 TouchDowns in shape and four interceptions with a 35-7 victory against Pittsburgh at the Bowl party. Rodgers’ statistics were not so impressive, but led Cal to a 10-2 record in 2004 with signature games against Oregon and UCLA. Rodgers was also originally from the north of California, a fan of the 49ers grew and plays his entire university career there too, spending a year in Butte College and two in Berkeley.
Even when there were rumors that Smith was San Francisco’s favorite prospect, there were still so many teams ahead of Green Bay that they needed a field marshal. In fact, looking at the headlines of some of these teams in the previous year, it is amazing that Rodgers slid to where he did. Check out some of the notable teams below:
Teams with remarkable need in Quarterback in 2004
No. 2, Miami: AJ Feeley, Jay Fiedler, Sage Rosenfels (4-12)
No. 3, Cleveland: Jeff García, Luke McCown, Kelly Holcomb (4-12)
No. 4, Chicago: Rex Grossman, Chad Hutchinson, Craig Kenzel, Jonathan Quinn (5-11)
No. 5, Tampa Bay: Brad Johnson, Brian Griese, Chris Simms (5-11)
No. 6, Tennessee: Steve McNair (retired two seasons later), Billy Volley (5-11)
No. 7 and No. 18, Minnesota: Daunnte Culpepper (Negotiated next season) (8-8)
No. 8, Arizona: Shaun King, John Navarre, Josh McCown (6-10)
No. 9, Washington: Mark Brunell, Patrick Ramsey (6-10)
No. 10, Detroit: Joey Harrington (6-10)
No. 11 and No. 20, Dallas: Vinny Testoverde, Drew Henson (6-10)
No. 13, New Orleans: Aaron Brooks (8-8)
No. 14, Carolina: Jake Delhomme (7-9)
No. 15, Kansas City: Trent Green (7-9)
No. 16, Houston: David Carr (7-9)
No. 19, St. Louis: Marc Bulger, Chris Chandler (8-8)
No. 21, Jacksonville: Byron Leftwich, David Garrard (9-7)
No. 22, Baltimore: Kyle Boller (9-7)
No. 23, Oakland: Kerry Collins, Rich Gannon (5-11)
It is evident that many teams benefited from the addition of Rodgers. But since only two quarterbacks were tasks in the first 24 selections, this piece will focus mainly on the undulating effects of San Francisco and Green Bay. We are going to immerse ourselves.
The most important question in this scenario “What would happen if Rodgers still has the illustrious race in the Hall of Fame Hey as a result of his Draft slide. Remember, he sat three seasons behind Brett Favre, an MVP three times that he already had a super bowl in his name and ended his career among the first five of all time in ms Sitting behind one of the best field marshals of all time he had to have played a role in the development of Rodgers.
He also removed the pressure, something that Smith had to deal immediately like the no. 1 selection. Rodgers mechanics at the University was also the subject of a lot of discussion, which several draft analysts after the fact as the reason for their slide. The three years behind Favre tell him time to work on this problem.
Some of the best quartbacks in history did not play during most of their rookie year, such as Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Drew Brees, Patrick Mahomes, even Favre himself. The pressure of playing the hero of the hometown for one of the most historical franchises in the history of the NFL would have the Goths for a 22 -year -old rodgers? We will never know, but the adjustment is almost everything in professional sports, and there is no doubt that Green Bay and Rodgers resulted in an almost perfect marriage for more than a decade. In 15 seasons as a starter there, he won the MVP award four times, was selected for 10 Pro Bowls, made five All-Pro teams, won the Super Bowl XLV and led the league in TouchDown passes twice.
Even if Smith had landed in San Francisco, there were still several teams that needed help in Quarterback.
Arguffy the most intriguing is Miami, who had just hired Nick Saban in December 2004 and ended with the second team selection. Clearly, Saban did not believe that Rodgers was a great option for his list, since the Dolphins selected Ronnie Brown with the national team, but who should know if he thought very well in Smith, who had been trained by Othyer in Theah. Despite reaching the playoffs, only one with San Francisco and was 38-36-1 in seven regular seasons, Smith still managed to obtain three Pro Bowl trips and even led the league in the qualification of pins. Maybe Saban Cother’s coach.
Favre could have delivered a championship in ’96, but most of the Super Bowl that “Titletown” has seen was under Rodgers. He took the Packers to a fourth Super Bowl victory in the 2010-11 season. He had already thrown for 4,000 yards in each of the previous two seasons and had 58 TouchDown passes in that period, but lost to the cardinals in his only appearance of playoffs previous in 2009. The four-game race he designed in the playoffs 2010-11 1,094 yards with nine TouchDowns, only two interceptions and also hurried by two schoolchildren.
But what would happen if Favre had still been under the center at this time? Or what would happen if the main office had written or negotiated by one of the field marshal tasks in the subsuous drafts? Notable Quarterbacks Tasks in the First Round of the Four Drafts Between 2005 and 2010 Include Young (’06), Matt Leinart (’06), Jamarcus Russell (’07), Joe Flacco (’08), Matt Ratchezez., Matt Ratchezezezezezezezezezzezezezzezezzezezezezzezezzezezzezezzezezezzezezezzezezezzezezezzezezezezzezezezezezzezezezzezezezzezezezezezyyyyful of. Allyhe would have tasks to do some of these marker, there is still no guarantee that none of them has taken Green Bay to a fourth title.
While it is difficult to say, especially given all the facts that we have presented previously, it is fascinating to think if Francisco would have multiple Super Bowls if Rodgers had been under the center. The 49ers have won five Super Bowls in the history of the franchise, but none since the 1994 season. Yes, it is not clear if Rodgers would have the same success he had in Green Bay if he had an action in the action in the first year with the presence of Favre, but it is difficult to imagine that a guy who won four MVP awards is a similar success in Any equipment.
From 2005 to 2019, only five NFC teams won the Super Bowl, the giants being the only one to win several times. And in both victories, New York taught New England’s patriots. Can you imagine a rivalry of the 49ers-Patriots, headed by Aaron Rodgers Duing Tom Brady? Once again, it is impossible to say that this would have happened, but even the idea is amazing.
Regardless of this hypothetical, a rodgers destined for canton with scarlet red and gold for most of his career instead of green and yellow could have changed the NFL landscape in many ways.
A place does not have the nickname of “Titletown” without reason, and Green Bay won this nickname due to the nine NFL championships of the Packers and two Super Bowl titles between 1929 and 1967. However, Welevel to 1991 was short -lived. But in 1992, Falcons changed Favre for a first round selection. The rest was history.
In his fourth season with Green Bay (1995), he won the first of his three consecutive MVP Awards; It is still the only player in the NFL’s history to achieve that feat. More importantly, Favre led Green Bay to his third Super Bowl title in 1996 along with seven more playoff appearances until his last season there in 2007. Each game for the Packers of September 20, 1992 consecutive began.
But with Rodgers’ number for the 2008 season, Favre spent his last three years in the NFL with the jets and the Vikings. He took Minnesota to a record of 12-4 in 2009, before losing to the Saints in the NFC championship game. As one of the most promised players in the history of the Packers, it is difficult to think that he would have once used another shirt that did not have the leg for the selection of such a talented and promising QB as Rodgers in 2005.
Why great stories delivered directly to your entrance tray? Create or log in to your Fox Sports accountAnd follow the leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized bulletin every day!
Get more from the National Football League Follow your favorites to obtain information about games, news and more