19 years ago the San Francisco 49ers passed on taking Aaron Rodgers with the No. 1 overall pick.
Five-time New York Times Best Selling Author, Ian O’Connor, told me on “Boy Green Daily” that is something that still bothers the New York Jets QB1.
“Nothing is ever in the past with Aaron when it’s a slight. He holds onto that forever. Real or imagined slights, he never forgets. I’ve seen that trait in a lot of the greats that I’ve profiled in books and featured stories. They use that as fuel forever as they drive to become an all-time great. He has that done that without question. They obviously should have drafted him No. 1. That was his dream team to play for them and they let him go,” O’Connor explained to me. “Yeah the San Francisco thing that hurt him, that really hurt him because in 2005 in the draft, the humiliation of Aaron Rodgers became the first reality show with the NFL draft. It was the same day that YouTube was born. That was the first day a video was uploaded on YouTube. Fittingly Aaron was really the first reality show of the draft. His plunge and the ESPN cameras constantly zoning in on his face. The look on his face getting worse, and worse, and worse.”
O’Connor published an unauthorized Aaron Rodgers biography, “Out of the Darkness” which included an in-person interview at his Malibu home this year.
Rodgers Denies That the 49ers Thing Still Bothers Him
Heavy on Jets
When asked about whether there is any extra emotion heading into the Week 1 2024 season opener versus the 49ers, Rodgers downplayed it.
However, A-Rod seemed to enjoy poking San Francisco with a dig.
“Yeah I mean it’s all different people. I have outlasted a lot of the people over there,” Rodgers responded with a smile.
“There is a lot of familiarity there. Obviously it’s fun to go back to the Bay Area but it’s really just another game. I mean if this would have happened first or second year as a starter, it’s kind of a different energy when all the guys that you feel like passed on you, you have some sort of bitterness that you have held onto. I don’t have any of that anymore,” Rodgers added.
While Rodgers might not publicly reveal any beef between him and the 49ers, he did have plenty of other things to say.
“How do you not [have a chip on your shoulder],” Rodgers told the media on Thursday, September 5. “I’ve always kind of played with something on my shoulder. You have to manufacture things from time to time, but it goes back to who do I need to prove it to? It’s myself at this point. I have a lot of pride in my performance, so when I take the field I expect greatness because I’ve done it before.”
The Jets Can Continue Rodgers’ Dominance in Week 1
Heavy on Jets
Rodgers has struggled against the 49ers in the playoffs. Over the last 19 years, he has squared off against San Francisco on four separate occasions. He is 0-4 in those contests.
According to StatMuse in those playoff appearances, Rodgers has thrown five touchdown passes to three interceptions, has 985 passing yards, and has completed 70.7% of his passes.
However, things have operated at a much different pace during the regular season. Rodgers boasts a sterling 6-3 record in those nine at-bats versus the 49ers.
On top of having a much better win-loss record, Rodgers has also performed up to snuff statistically speaking. Rodgers has an impressive 20-touchdown-to-two interception ratio in those games, he has thrown for 2,597 passing yards, and has completed 66.2% of his passes.
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