One thing that is becoming clear about this next generation of franchise quarterbacks is they aren't afraid to speak their minds. Nobody embodies this more than CJ Stroud. Since the moment he entered the league, he's been frank on countless subjects. Some people may not like his opinion, but he will share it anyway. It doesn't seem to affect his play on the field. His latest target of opportunity was none other than former Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Bears fans should get some popcorn for this one.
There was a point in time when many felt Rodgers was the best quarterback in NFL history. He could do things with a football that some only dream of. Nobody disputes he's a Hall of Famer. However, some have started to question where he stands among the league's all-time greats. Why? It centers around his lack of rings. For all his individual brilliance, Rodgers only has one. Stroud was asked on the Million Dollaz Worth of Game if he'd prefer Rodgers' career vs. somebody like Eli Manning. The young QB didn't even blink.
“You want the rings, dog. Eli got two.”
It somehow gets even better.
Stroud went on to call Rodgers' ability as a leader into question.
“You know what I think it is. I’ve talked to Tom Brady, about this because he’s a good mentor to me … what he told me is his teammates, and how he treats his teammates. And that’s where I think it falls off. We don’t know how Aaron Rodgers treats his teammates, but you can guarantee that Tom Brady treats his teammates right because how he got those rings.”
As if all of that weren't enough, the Texans quarterback decided to rub salt in the wound one last time by stating that Rodgers may not have even been the best quarterback in his division during most of his run in Green Bay.
“If you give Matthew Stafford a chance like Aaron Rodgers had, I guarantee you he might have had more rings. I think he would have like three or four.”
CJ Stroud just open a gigantic Pandora's box.
It is hard to justify criticizing a four-time league MVP, but the facts are hard to ignore. Rodgers has reached the postseason 11 times in his career as a starter. He was 11-10 in those games, with only one Super Bowl appearance and four conference championship losses. Two of them were at home. He can't use the defense as an excuse. Green Bay had a top-10 unit in total yards or points allowed eight times during his career. Matthew Stafford played with two, and neither of them came during the year that he won a Super Bowl in 2021.
Maybe CJ Stroud has a point. Rodgers had an elite setup in Green Bay his entire career. There was never a point where he didn't have Pro Bowl-caliber receivers, good protection, and at least a serviceable defense. While he deserves credit for winning a championship, he also deserves criticism for failing to win another. If you want to be in the conversation for the greatest of all time, you at least need two. It feels like his best opportunities are gone. He is merely playing out the string in New York, especially as Stroud and other young guns establish themselves in the AFC.
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