Aaron Charles Rodgers is a famous NFL American football player, and he is most notable for playing starting quarterback for the Wisconsin Green Bay Packers. However, Rodgers did not start his football career there. He first began his football career in 2002 during his university days when he was studying at Butte College. Because of his incredible performance and love of the game, he went on to the University of California to play for one of the state’s best college teams. During his stint with the California Golden Bears, Rodgers set new records and surpassed everyone’s expectations. Two remarkable accomplishments include his interception rate and a great single-season record. This article has everything you need about Aaron Rodgers, from his humble beginnings to his net worth and personal life.
Aaron Rodgers humble beginnings
Rodgers was born in 1983 to Darla and Edward Rodgers in Chico, California, and he is the middle child in a family of three boys. The Rodgers family moved around a lot in those early years, first moving to Ukiah, California, then on to Beaverton, Oregon. Since his early childhood, Rodgers had shown interest in sports and was active in several throughout these years. It was in Ukiah that Rodgers garnered attention and was even featured in a local newspaper for his outside performance, albeit in basketball. Nonetheless, it was apparent then that the young Rodgers was capable of great things. When the family moved to Oregon, he went on to play baseball and was successful in playing various positions in the game.
Rodgers’ father was known to toss the old football around with all three of his boys, Luke, Aaron, and Jordan. Originally from Texas, his father also played football in the 1970s for the Chico State Wildcats. Edward Rodgers’ position in the game was that of an offensive lineman for the college team.
In 1997, the family returned to Chico, California, where Rodgers attended high school and began his football career. It was here that he started as a quarterback and made strides in his passing yards and touchdowns. Despite getting good grades and accomplishing small feats, after high school, is when Rodgers really began to shine.
Aaron Rodgers College Days
In his college years, Rodgers went on to transfer from Butte College to the University of California to play with Golden Bears after being scouted by the head coach. There, he posted impressive numbers with the university team, and in his first year, he was granted MVP of the winning game against the Virginia Tech Hokies.
His second year at the university was more impressive than the first. Rodgers was gaining attention with record passes, the lowest amount of intercepted passes, and a high amount of passing yards and touchdowns. This led him to win the hearts of various NFL scouts calling him a talented and skilled strong-armed junior with a perfect combination of mechanics, strength, and delivery. Aaron Rodgers’ stats were outstanding, and he entered the National Football League draft in 2005.
In August 2005, Rodgers signed a five-year contract worth $7.7 million with the Wisconsin Green Bay Packers as the backup quarterback. After seeing his performance, they gave him an extension, and Rodgers played an outstanding game against the San Diego Chargers.
Aaron Rodgers stats
In 2010, Rodgers led the Packers to victory in Super Bowl XLV. He played his heart out at the beginning of the Super Bowl series but lost three games in a row. Two overtime defeats affected his records, bringing them down to 0-5.
Later on, his performance gradually improved, and Rodgers had 3 touchdowns and 298 passing yards. He was then honored as the NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
At a point, the Packers were about to lose the game to the Patriots, and this is when Aaron Rodgers had to take some serious action. He knew the team would not qualify for the playoffs if the performance were not improved. Finally, the Packers won the last two games of the series. It was tough, but they overcame and beat the New York Giants, where Rodgers completed 25 passes for 404 yards (0.37 km).
Rodgers- most valued player awards
1st MVP
In 2011, almost all teams were scheduling unofficial off-season workouts except for the Packers. They defeated the New Orleans Saints and put down their concern over their enthusiasm. Right after the game, Rodgers said in a press conference that there was enough room for improvement. He and his team could start more quickly and score better.
The Green Bay Packers defeated the Denver Broncos in the fourth week with 4 touchdowns and 408 passing yards. By the ninth week, they had recorded many victories. One of them was over the San Diego Chargers, where Rodgers earned another NFC Offensive Player of the Week honor.
The football player finished the season with 6 interceptions, 45 touchdowns, and over 4500 passing yards garnering his first MVP.
2nd MVP
In 2014, the packers defended their previous Super Bowl champion against the Seattle Seahawks and were about to lose the game. The following week, the team started with a 21–3 deficit but won 31–24. Aaron made a comeback with 18 points, and it marked a significant comeback in his career.
The third game was difficult for the Packers, as they only scored 7 points. Moreover, Aaron Rodgers’ 162 passing yards were the lowest of his career. They lost the game to the Lions, but that quickly was followed by a winning streak that comprised four different games. During this winning streak, Aaron had 0 interceptions and 13 touchdowns. He focused on improving his performance, and finally, in the fourth week, he had 4 touchdowns and 302 passing yards, earning him another honor.
The Packers lost the eighth week to the New Orleans Saints. During the game, Aaron received an injury in his hamstring muscle. It seemed to have affected his performance to some extent.
3rd MVP
Here, Aaron led the Packers to a winning streak of four games. This winning streak ended in the sixth week when Rodgers pitched 2 interceptions and 160 yards (0.15 km).
During the game, Aaron eclipsed 50,000 career passing yards. In NFL history, he was one of the top 15 players to achieve this milestone.
The Packers and Rodgers won the NFC North in 2021, where he threw 2 touchdowns and 296 yards (0.27 km). When the season was over, Aaron won several awards, including the AP Most Valuable Player award and the FedEx Air Player of the Year award.
4th MVP
In November 2021, they placed Aaron on the reserve list for COVID-19 because he tested positive. As a result, he could not play the game for ten days and missed a major game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Rodgers finally returned to the game and played against the Seattle Seahawks once he was cleared.
In its 16th week, he defeated the Cleveland Browns and broke Brett Favre’s record of most touchdown passes in history.
Rodgers was able to throw 225 yards (0.21 km) in a round against the San Francisco 49ers. The poor performance of another team member led him and the Packers to lose 13-10. Nevertheless, Aaron Rodgers’ stats allowed him received the AP NFL Most Valuable Player Award.
Aaron Rodgers net worth and endorsements
Professional football player, Aaron Rodgers net worth is $200 million, and between 2018 and 2019, Rodgers earned over $85 million from endorsements and salaries.
Previously, Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team and Rodgers owned and managed a restaurant in Wisconsin. However, Braun’s PED scandal, where he admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs, made headlines across the globe, and their restaurant was closed. Rodgers claimed he had been duped by his close friend, causing a rift between the two sports stars.
In April 2018, Aaron became the first NFL player to have ownership stakes in the NBA franchise. He also has been featured in several advertisements for very well-known brands such as Pizza Hut, Adidas, FedEx, Sharpie, State Farm, and more. These brand deals and endorsements made Rodgers a good chunk of change. For example, Rodgers’ contract with State Farm earned him $2 to $3 million. Rodgers has been a part of several local campaigns within the state of Wisconsin, too. He had an ongoing partnership with Wisconsin health care provider Prevea Health for nine years, which came to a halt when Rodgers took a stance on COVID-19 vaccinations and claimed that he was looking for alternative treatments. The healthcare organization took to Twitter to announce that both parties had come to an agreement to end their partnership.
Aaron Rodgers appearance on TV and radio
In the second season of Key & Peele, Rodgers appeared on a segment along with Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and other players, poking fun at NFL players’ names. Besides Key & Peele, he turned up in a variety of television shows. For instance, in 2015, he took part in Celebrity Jeopardy, where the purpose of appearing on the show was to raise money for the winner’s charity of choice. Rodgers gave Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary and former astronaut Mike Kelly a run for their money. He won against both of them and was able to raise $50,000 for his charity, MAACC, Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer. Aaron Rodgers also went on to appear as a guest host of Jeopardy in 2021.
His most prominent cameo features include two different episodes of Games of Thrones and The Office. During the NFL season, the football player often appeared on radio programs to talk about football and give commentary.
Additionally, he took part in The Match IV in 2021, a golfing tournament where extraordinary athletes are paired with pro golfers and play against other teams. These tournaments are held twice a year. In this particular match, Rodgers was paired with golfer Bryson DeChambeau and played against Tom Brady and Phil Mickelson.
Charity work
Aaron Rodgers is known for his charity work and humanitarian efforts, too. He partnered up with David Gruber for itsAaron, a web series devoted to creating awareness about people and non-profit companies who aim to change the world. Aaron Rodgers also supports the aforementioned MACC Fund and Raise Hope for Congo. He has also established several scholarships for deserving students and donated funds to the University of California for locker room renovations. Rodgers is recognized for his incredible work, dedication, and devotion to giving back to the community.
Aaron Rodgers contract
The most recent contract Aaron Rodgers has signed with the Green Bay Packers is a 3-year contract with a 40 million dollar sign-on bonus in March 2022. Also, Aaron Rodgers’ contract is reportedly for the amount of 150.8 million, with the first two years guaranteed and the third not guaranteed yet. He will earn roughly 50 million per year, making him the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL, surpassing Tom Brady. Thus, skyrocketing his net worth.
Aaron Rodgers personal life
As far as his personal life is concerned, Rodgers has been in a relationship with various celebrities. For example, he dated actress Olivia Munn for three years, Shailene Woodley, and NASCAR driver Danica Patrick.
It is worth mentioning that Aaron has faced many personal and professional issues, which continue to make headlines, and has appeared in the news exposing his quarrels and estrangement from his immediate family. He isn’t close to his parents or his siblings for various reasons. His family has stated that Rodgers has chosen his fame and fortune over them. Whether or not that’s true, the situation still continues to cause rumors and headlines.
Aaron Rodgers remaining career years
Since 2008, Aaron Rodgers has led the Packers to various victories. Fans praise him due to his charity efforts and his exceptional football skills. Because of his many accomplishments, many people wonder, how old is Aaron Rodgers?
Being in his late 30s, Aaron Rodgers age in the football industry would suggest that he is almost at the end of his career. Rodgers has said that he plans to finish his career with the Wisconsin Green Bay Packers, suggesting he will stick with his beloved team until the very end, whenever that may be.
One thing is for sure, this NFL quarterback has proved his love of the game while achieving some pretty remarkable accomplishments and breaking several football records along the way. But he has made it clear that he’s not calling it quits just yet. He was quoted by NBSports saying, “Just tapping into the love of this game, love of my teammates. You know, that’s what gets me up in the morning, coming in here and loving what I do. And having that gratitude for this opportunity, because, at some point, the ride’s gonna be over. So enjoying every step of the way.”
