Aaron Rodgers facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers with the Green Bay Packers in 2022
No. 8 – New York Jets
Position:	Quarterback
Personal information
Born:	(1983-12-02) December 2, 1983 (age 41) Chico, California, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:	223 lb (101 kg)
Career information
High school:	Pleasant Valley (Chico, California)
College:	Butte (2002) California (2003–2004)
NFL Draft:	2005 / Round: 1 / Pick: 24
Career history
Green Bay Packers (2005) New York Jets (2023–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (XLV) Super Bowl MVP (XLV) 4× NFL Most Valuable Player (2011, 2014, 2020, 2021) 4× First-team All-Pro (2011, 2014, 2020, 2021) Second-team All-Pro (2012) 10× Pro Bowl (2009, 2011, 2012, 2014–2016, 2018–2021) 4× NFL passer rating leader (2011, 2012, 2020, 2021) 2× NFL passing touchdowns leader (2016, 2020) NFL completion percentage leader (2020) NFL 2010s All-Decade Team Bart Starr Award (2014) Associated Press Athlete of the Year (2011) Bert Bell Award (2011) First-team All-Pac-10 (2004) NFL records Career passer rating (minimum 1,500 attempts): 102.6 Career TD–INT ratio (minimum 1,500 attempts): 4.3–1 Single season passer rating: 122.5 (2011) Lowest interception percentage in a season: 0.3% (2018)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 18, 2024
Passing attempts: 8,245 Passing completions: 5,369 Completion percentage: 65.1% TD–INT: 503–116 Passing yards: 62,952 Passer rating: 102.6 Rushing yards: 3,573 Rushing touchdowns: 35
Player stats at PFR

Aaron Charles Rodgers (born December 2, 1983) is an American professional football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He is known as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.

Rodgers played college football for the California Golden Bears. He set several passing records there. In 2005, the Green Bay Packers picked him in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft. He played for the Packers for 18 seasons.

After three years as a backup to Brett Favre, Rodgers became the Packers' starting quarterback in 2008. In the 2010 season, he led them to win Super Bowl XLV. He was named the Super Bowl MVP for that game. Rodgers won the NFL MVP award four times (2011, 2014, 2020, and 2021). He is the fifth player to win NFL MVP in two seasons in a row. Rodgers has led the NFL in many important stats. These include touchdown-to-interception ratio and lowest interception percentage. He also holds the record for the highest single-season passer rating at 122.5.

Aaron Rodgers' Early Life

Rodgers was born on December 2, 1983, in Chico, California. His dad, Edward Wesley Rodgers, was a chiropractor. He played football as an offensive lineman in college. Aaron's family moved to Ukiah, California, and then to Beaverton, Oregon.

When he was ten, Aaron was featured in a newspaper. It was for his great performance in a local basketball free throw contest. The Rodgers family moved back to Chico in 1997. Aaron went to Pleasant Valley High School. He played quarterback for two years. He threw for 4,421 yards. He also set school records for touchdowns and total yards in a game.

College Football Journey

Even with his strong high school record, not many big colleges were interested in Rodgers. He was smaller than most players at 5'10" and 165 pounds. He really wanted to play for Florida State. But they turned him down. He even thought about quitting football to play baseball instead.

Then, he got a chance to play at Butte Community College in Oroville, California. This is a junior college.

Playing at Butte College

In his first year at Butte Community College (2002), Rodgers threw 26 touchdowns. He helped his team get a 10–1 record. They also won the NorCal Conference championship. The California Golden Bears' coach, Jeff Tedford, noticed him. Because Rodgers had good grades in high school, he could transfer to the University of California, Berkeley after just one year.

Joining the California Golden Bears

Rodgers joined Cal in 2003. He became the starting quarterback in his fifth game. He helped the Golden Bears to a 7–3 record as a starter. In one game, he passed for 394 yards. He was named MVP of the Insight Bowl. In 2003, Rodgers set a school record for the lowest percentage of passes intercepted.

In 2004, Rodgers led Cal to a 10–1 record. Their only loss was a close 23–17 game against USC. In that game, Rodgers set a school record. He completed 26 passes in a row. He also tied an NCAA record with 23 consecutive passes completed in one game. After this season, Rodgers decided to enter the 2005 NFL Draft. He gave up his final year of college football.

College Statistics

Professional Football Career

Joining the NFL

Many experts thought Rodgers would be picked very early in the 2005 NFL Draft. He hoped to play for the San Francisco 49ers, his favorite team growing up. But the 49ers chose another quarterback, Alex Smith. Rodgers then waited for hours to be picked. He was finally chosen by the Green Bay Packers as the 24th overall pick. This was a big surprise and became a major story of the draft.

Backup Years (2005–2007)

Rodgers spent his first three NFL seasons as the backup quarterback. He played behind the famous Packers quarterback, Brett Favre. In 2005, he signed a five-year contract. He saw very little playing time in his first two years. In 2006, he broke his left foot and missed the rest of the season.

In 2007, Favre decided to stay with the Packers. This meant Rodgers would still be a backup. However, Rodgers did get to play when Favre was injured against the Dallas Cowboys. He threw his first touchdown pass in that game.

Becoming the Starter (2008)

Rodgers going down the tunnel at Lambeau Field in 2008

In March 2008, Brett Favre announced he was retiring. This made Rodgers the starting quarterback for the 2008 season. Even though Favre later decided to return, he was traded to the New York Jets. This officially made Rodgers the Packers' main quarterback.

Rodgers quickly showed he was a top player. In his first year as a starter, he threw for over 4,000 yards and 28 touchdowns. The Packers won their first game with Rodgers as the starter. It was the first time since 1992 that someone other than Favre started a regular season game for the Packers. In October 2008, Rodgers signed a big contract extension. The Packers finished the season with a 6–10 record.

Leading the Team (2009)

In the 2009 season, Rodgers led his first comeback win. He threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings to beat the Chicago Bears. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for October. Rodgers led the Packers to five wins in a row. They finished the season with an 11–5 record. This earned them a spot in the playoffs.

Rodgers became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for over 4,000 yards in his first two years as a starter. In the playoffs, the Packers played the Arizona Cardinals. Rodgers threw for 423 yards and four touchdowns. But the Packers lost in overtime in a very high-scoring game. Rodgers was chosen for his first Pro Bowl.

Super Bowl XLV Season (2010)

In 2010, the Packers started 2–0. But then they lost three of their next four games. Rodgers' play improved a lot in the second half of the season. He threw 16 touchdowns and only two interceptions. In Week 13, he had 298 passing yards and three touchdowns against the San Francisco 49ers. He earned his first NFC Offensive Player of the Week award.

Rodgers greeting the fans in Lambeau Field during the 2010 season's finale against the Bears

Rodgers missed a game due to a concussion. The Packers had to win their last two games to make the playoffs. They did, beating the New York Giants and Chicago Bears. The Packers entered the playoffs as a Wild Card team.

They beat the Philadelphia Eagles and then the Atlanta Falcons. Against the Falcons, Rodgers threw for 366 yards and four touchdowns. On January 23, 2011, the Packers beat the Chicago Bears to win the NFC Championship.

The Packers then went to Super Bowl XLV. They won 31–25 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Rodgers completed 24 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns. He was named Super Bowl MVP. This was his only Super Bowl win with the Packers.

First MVP Season (2011)

Rodgers drops back for a pass in 2011.

The 2011 season was amazing for Rodgers. He led the Packers to a 13–0 start. They tied the NFC record for most wins to start a season. Rodgers finished the season with 4,643 passing yards, 45 touchdown passes, and only six interceptions. His passer rating was 122.5. This is the highest single-season passer rating in NFL history.

He set many NFL records that year. He had a passer rating over 100.0 in 13 games. He also had a rating over 110.0 in 12 games. Rodgers won the league's MVP award. He received 48 out of 50 votes. The Packers finished the regular season with a 15–1 record. However, they were upset by the New York Giants in the playoffs. Rodgers was named to the Pro Bowl and was a First-team All-Pro.

Another Strong Season (2012)

In 2012, Rodgers led the league in passer rating for the second year in a row. He also led in touchdown passing percentage. He finished with 39 touchdown passes and 4,295 passing yards. In Week 6, he tied a team record by throwing six touchdown passes against the Houston Texans.

The Packers finished with an 11–5 record. They won the NFC North division. They beat the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. But they lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round. Rodgers was chosen for his third Pro Bowl.

Overcoming Injury (2013)

In April 2013, Rodgers signed a big contract extension. It made him the highest-paid player in NFL history at the time. In Week 2, Rodgers had a career-high 480 passing yards. He tied a franchise record. He also became the first quarterback since 1962 to throw for at least 480 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions in a game.

In Week 9, Rodgers broke his left collarbone. He missed several weeks of games. The Packers struggled without him. But he returned for the final game of the season. He led the Packers to a game-winning touchdown pass in the last minute. This win clinched the NFC North title. The Packers lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.

Second MVP Season (2014)

Rodgers in 2014

The 2014 season started with a loss to the Seattle Seahawks. But Rodgers told fans to "R-E-L-A-X." The Packers then went on a four-game winning streak. Rodgers threw 13 touchdowns with no interceptions during this time. In Week 10, he threw six touchdown passes in the first half against the Chicago Bears. This tied an NFL record.

Rodgers handing the ball off to running back Eddie Lacy in 2014

Rodgers set an NFL record for most consecutive pass attempts at home without an interception. He also set a record for touchdown passes at home without an interception. He suffered a calf injury late in the season. But he played through it. The Packers won their fourth straight NFC North title.

In the playoffs, the Packers beat the Dallas Cowboys. But they lost a close game to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship. Rodgers was voted the NFL Most Valuable Player for the 2014 season. He was also named NFC Offensive Player of the Year. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl.

A Challenging Season (2015)

In 2015, Rodgers had a tougher year by his usual high standards. He threw for fewer yards than usual. A big reason was that his top receiver, Jordy Nelson, was out for the season with an injury.

In Week 13, Rodgers threw a "Hail Mary pass" to Richard Rodgers II. It was a 61-yard touchdown pass with no time left. This play, called "The Miracle in Motown," won the game against the Detroit Lions.

The Packers made the playoffs as the fifth seed. They beat the Washington Redskins. But they lost to the Arizona Cardinals in overtime in the Divisional Round. Rodgers threw another Hail Mary pass to Jeff Janis to tie that game. He was named to his fifth Pro Bowl.

Running the Table (2016)

Rodgers in 2016

Rodgers had a slow start to the 2016 season. But after a loss in Week 11, he said, "I feel like we can run the table." This meant winning all their remaining games. And they did! The Packers won six straight games to finish the season.

Rodgers' uniform exhibited at the Pro Football Hall of Fame

In Week 14, he had a great game against the Seattle Seahawks. He earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week. Rodgers was chosen for his sixth Pro Bowl. He also tied an NFL record for most seasons with at least 35 touchdown passes.

The Packers won the NFC North title. They beat the New York Giants in the Wild Card Round. Then, they beat the Dallas Cowboys in a very exciting Divisional Round game. Rodgers made a huge throw to Jared Cook to set up the game-winning field goal. But they lost to the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship. Rodgers finished the season with 40 touchdown passes, leading the league.

Injury in 2017

In Week 6 of the 2017 season, Rodgers suffered a fractured right collarbone. He had surgery and was placed on injured reserve. He returned for one game in Week 15. But the Packers were out of playoff contention. So, he was placed back on injured reserve.

Setting Records (2018)

Rodgers throwing a pass in 2018

In August 2018, Rodgers signed a new contract. In Week 1, he left the game with a knee injury. But he returned and led the Packers to a comeback win against the Chicago Bears.

In Week 14, Rodgers set an NFL record. He completed his 359th pass in a row without an interception. This broke Tom Brady's record. His streak ended at 402 pass attempts in Week 15. This was another NFL record. He also set an NFL record for the lowest interception percentage in a season (0.3%). Rodgers was named to his seventh Pro Bowl.

New Coach, New Season (2019)

In 2019, Rodgers had a new head coach, Matt LaFleur. The Packers started 3–0. In Week 7, against the Oakland Raiders, Rodgers had his first-ever game with a perfect passer rating of 158.3. He threw for 429 yards and five touchdowns. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

The Packers finished the season with a 13–3 record. They earned a first-round bye in the playoffs. They beat the Seattle Seahawks in the Divisional Round. But they lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. This was Rodgers' third straight NFC Championship loss.

Third MVP Season (2020)

Rodgers led the Packers to a four-game winning streak to start the 2020 season. In Week 12, he passed for 211 yards and four touchdowns. He became the 11th player in NFL history to reach 50,000 career passing yards. In Week 13, he threw his 400th career touchdown pass. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

Rodgers finished the 2020 season with 4,299 passing yards and 48 passing touchdowns. His 48 touchdowns set a new franchise record. He led the league in completion percentage, touchdown passes, and passer rating. He was named to the First-team All-Pro. He also won the NFL MVP award.

The Packers finished with a 13–3 record. They won the NFC North and earned a first-round bye. They beat the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round. But they lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship. This was Rodgers' fourth straight conference championship loss.

Fourth MVP Season (2021)

Rodgers in 2021

Rodgers' 2021 season started with a tough loss. But the Packers then went on a seven-game winning streak. In Week 15, Rodgers threw for 268 yards and three touchdowns. This win clinched the NFC North title for the Packers for the third year in a row. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

On December 23, 2021, Rodgers was named to his tenth Pro Bowl. In Week 16, he threw his 443rd career touchdown pass. This passed Brett Favre for the most all-time career touchdown passes in Green Bay Packers history. He finished the 2021 season with 4,115 passing yards, 37 touchdowns, and four interceptions. He earned his fourth career First-team All-Pro selection.

In the playoffs, the Packers lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round. After the season, Rodgers won the NFL MVP award for the second year in a row. This was his fourth MVP award overall. He joined Peyton Manning as the only players to win at least four MVPs.

Final Season in Green Bay (2022)

In March 2022, Rodgers confirmed he would return to play for the Packers. He signed a new three-year contract. In Week 5, he suffered a broken thumb on his throwing hand. He played through the injury for most of the season.

The Packers struggled in the middle of the season. They had a 4–8 record at one point. But they won four games in a row to get back into playoff contention. However, they lost their final game to the Detroit Lions. This meant they missed the playoffs. Rodgers finished the 2022 season with 3,695 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.

Joining the New York Jets (2023)

Rodgers (white, #8) takes a snap against the Bills. Four plays later, he would be injured by Bills defender Leonard Floyd (blue, #56) and replaced by backup quarterback Zach Wilson (white, #2)

On April 26, 2023, Rodgers was traded to the New York Jets. This move was similar to when Brett Favre was traded to the Jets after playing for the Packers. Rodgers chose to wear the No. 8 jersey, which he wore in college.

In his first game with the Jets, Rodgers injured his left ankle on his fourth play. He was diagnosed with an Achilles tendon rupture. This is a serious injury. He had surgery and was placed on injured reserve. He was activated later in the season but did not play again. The Jets missed the playoffs.

The 2024 Season

After his injury, Rodgers returned for the 2024 season. In Week 1, he completed 13 of 21 passes for 167 yards and one touchdown. But the Jets lost to the San Francisco 49ers. In Week 2, he helped the Jets win their home opener against the New England Patriots.

In Week 5, Rodgers reached 60,000 passing yards in his career. This made him the ninth quarterback in NFL history to do so. However, he also threw three interceptions in that game. The Jets lost. Their head coach, Robert Saleh, was fired after this loss. Rodgers denied having a role in the coach's firing.

The Jets continued to struggle. Rodgers played through several injuries. In Week 14, he broke a 34-game streak without throwing for 300 yards. He threw for over 300 yards, but the Jets lost and were out of playoff contention. On January 5, 2025, Rodgers threw his 500th career touchdown pass. He became the fifth quarterback in NFL history to reach this milestone. He finished the 2024 season with 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.

Touchdown Celebration

Since 2008, Rodgers has been known for his "Championship Belt" celebration. After scoring, he pretends to put an invisible championship belt around his waist. His teammates enjoy it too. This gesture has become popular with Green Bay fans. He has also done the "shoryuken," a move from the Street Fighter video game.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular season

Postseason

NFL Records

• Career passer rating (minimum 1,500 attempts): 103.6
• Consecutive attempts without an interception (402)
• Fewest attempts to 30,000 passing yards (3,652)
• Fewest games to 400 passing touchdowns (193)
• Career sacks taken: 571

Single Season and Games

• Passer rating in a season: 122.5 (2011)
• Lowest interception percentage in a season: 0.3 (2018)
• Consecutive games with a passer rating over 100.0 in a season: 12 (2011)
• Consecutive games with a passer rating over 110.0 in a season: 11 (2011)

Green Bay Packers Records

• Most passing touchdowns (475)
• Career completion percentage (65.3)

Awards and Honors

NFL

• Super Bowl XLV champion
• Super Bowl MVP (XLV)
• 4× NFL Most Valuable Player (2011, 2014, 2020, 2021)
• 4× First-team All-Pro (2011, 2014, 2020, 2021)
• Second-team All-Pro (2012)
• 10× Pro Bowl (2009, 2011, 2012, 2014–2016, 2018–2021)
• 4× NFL passer rating leader (2011, 2012, 2020, 2021)
• 2× NFL passing touchdowns leader (2016, 2020)
• NFL completion percentage leader (2020)
• NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
• Bart Starr Award (2014)
• Bert Bell Award (2011)
• 2× SN NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2011, 2014)
• PFWA NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2011)
• 2× GMC Never Say Never Award (2013, 2014)
• 3× NFC Offensive Player of the Year (2011, 2014, 2020)
• 3× FedEx Air NFL Player of the Year (2010, 2014, 2020)
• 14× NFL Top 100 selections (most all-time)

NCAA

• Insight Bowl Offensive MVP (2003)
• First-team All-Pac-10 (2004)
• California Golden Bears Co-Offensive MVP (2004)

NBA

• 2021 NBA Championship (as minority owner)

Media

• 2011 Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year
• 4× ESPY Award winner – Best NFL Player (2011, 2012, 2015, 2017)

State/Local

• The Wisconsin Legislature declared December 12, 2012, "Aaron Rodgers Day." This was in honor of his jersey number, 12.

Golf

• 2023 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am winner

Personal Life

Family and Relationships

Rodgers has two brothers. His younger brother, Jordan, also played quarterback in college and briefly in the NFL. Aaron is the godfather to Cade Cobb. Cade is the second son of his longtime NFL teammate, Randall Cobb.

Honorary Memberships and Business Ventures

In 2012, Rodgers became an honorary member of Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE). In 2018, he became a part-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team. This made him the first active NFL player to own a part of an NBA team.

Media Appearances

Rodgers was a spokesperson for State Farm Insurance. He appeared in many of their commercials. He also appeared in Pizza Hut ads.

In 2015, Rodgers was a contestant on Celebrity Jeopardy!. He won $50,000 for his charity. In 2021, he was a guest host on Jeopardy! for two weeks.

Rodgers has also made small appearances on TV shows. These include The Office, Game of Thrones, and Key & Peele.

In 2021, Rodgers played in The Match IV, a golf event. He teamed up with professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau. They won their match against Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady. Rodgers also played in The Match VI. He teamed up with Tom Brady again. They beat Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes.

Humanitarian and Charitable Efforts

Rodgers started a charity called itsAaron. Its goal is to help organizations and people who are making the world better.

He also supports the MACC Fund, Raise Hope for Congo, and other good causes. His win on Celebrity Jeopardy! earned $50,000 for the MACC Fund. When he guest-hosted Jeopardy!, the show donated money to charity based on the contestants' winnings.

Rodgers supports his old college, University of California, Berkeley. He has given money to improve their sports facilities. He also created a scholarship for transfer students. In 2021, he was honored by the school for his charity work.

In 2021, Rodgers gave $1 million to help small businesses in Chico and Butte County, California. In 2024, he raised $3 million for charities with a flag football tournament.

See Also

In Spanish: Aaron Rodgers para niños

• List of NFL career quarterback wins leaders
• List of NFL career passer rating leaders
• List of NFL career passing completions leaders
• List of NFL career passing touchdowns leaders
• List of NFL career passing yards leaders
• List of Green Bay Packers first-round draft picks
• List of Green Bay Packers team records
• List of Green Bay Packers starting quarterbacks