Draft day fall
Aaron Rodgers was famously passed over by many teams in the 2005 NFL draft, causing him to fall to the 24th pick by the Green Bay Packers. Aaron was rumored as the first overall pick at times before draft day. Instead, the San Francisco 49ers drafted Alex Smith at one, and Rodgers landed in the perfect scenario at Green Bay; Aaron was able to be the backup his first three seasons behind the hall-of-famer Brett Favre. During this time, Rodgers revamped his throwing motion, which was one of the concerns that led to his draft day fall.
Many experts now say that the teams that passed on him made a big mistake, as Rodgers has gone on to have an incredible career with 4 MVPs and is considered one of the best quarterbacks ever in the league. Despite the disappointment of falling in the draft, Rodgers has used it as motivation to prove his doubters wrong and become a true star in the NFL.
Quotes
I think I grew up a lot. I think that's why I say the draft day was the best day of my career because it was a humbling experience that I needed.
Aaron Rodgers
It's not so funny when you're the last one in the green room.
Aaron Rodgers
References
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The inside story behind Aaron Rodgers' freefall at the 2005 NFL Draft
It seemed preposterous that a quarterback of Rodgers' talents could slide to the 24th spot in a draft loaded with quarterback-needy teams. By my count, of the 21 clubs ahead of the Packers (Minnesota and Dallas each had two first-round picks and passed on Rodgers twice), all but maybe one or two had a much better case to make for taking Rodgers than Green Bay did.
NFL
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‘I do not look happy’: An oral history of Aaron Rodgers’ draft-day free fall
“Of course I do. You know this. It’s the best thing that happened to me,” responded Rodgers, who after a three-year clipboard-holding apprenticeship behind Pro Football Hall of Famer Brett Favre would go on to win two NFL MVP awards and lead the 2010 Packers to a Super Bowl XLV title.
The Athletic
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Green-room nightmare: Inside Aaron Rodgers' draft-day fall
Some four hours after the San Francisco 49ers took a different quarterback, Alex Smith of Utah, with the No. 1 pick -- a spot that once looked like it had Rodgers' name written all over it -- Rodgers was still there with his family, his agent and a few friends.
ESPN
