Aaron Rodgers: “Other teams in NFC North always think it’s their year”

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is no stranger to trash talk. On Thursday, the four-time MVP was asked by NBC Sports reporters on whether or not the rest of the NFC North has improved.

Rodgers replied, “All the other teams in the NFC North, it seems like every single year, I think their fanbase and their teams feel like, ‘This is our year to win the North.’ Hasn’t really been the case during my time, for the most part.”

On this date in 2008: @AaronRodgers12 makes his first career start vs. the Vikings.#TBT | #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/Uo56a7GZT5

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) September 8, 2022

While the 17-year veteran comes off overconfident and sometimes arrogant, the facts support his response. Since Aaron Rodgers was named the starter in 2008, the Packers have won the NFC North eight times.

During Week 6 of the 2021 NFL season, the quarterback was heard yelling, “I own you! I still own you!” at Soldier Field. The Packers defeated the Bears 24-14 in that matchup.

Of course, in the 2010 season, the team finished second in the NFC North behind the Chicago Bears. Afterwards, Green Bay defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 in Super Bowl XLV. But the team hasn’t made it back to the big game since then.

Aaron Rodgers: “Other teams in NFC North always think it’s their year”

In the 2010 NFC Championship, Rodgers and the Packers defeated the Bears on the road at Soldier Field. With a 10-6 record, Green Bay made the playoffs as a wild card.

Under head coach Lovie Smith, it was one of the rare times Chicago managed to win the division.

Unfortunately for Bears fans, quarterback Jay Cutler left the game in the third quarter due to a knee injury. The Packers went on to win 21-14. Since then, the Bears were never again the same team.

Not to mention, the Packers also failed to win the NFC North in the 2017 and 2018 seasons. However, during a Week 6 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay lost Aaron Rodgers for the remainder of the 2017 season due to a collarbone injury. They finished 7-9, missing the playoffs.

At 13-3, the Vikings won the division in the 2017 season.

Then, there are the Detroit Lions. Needless to say, the Lions have not won the division since the 1993 season. That was back when the division was known as the NFC Central.

In 2018, while the Packers had Rodgers, his heart just wasn’t in it. Head coach Mike McCarthy was fired in Week 13 after the team posted a 4-7-1 record. The Bears won the division with a 12-4 record.

Can Aaron Rodgers still produce at a high level without Devante Adams? Green Bay will be tested in Minnesota in Week 1. On Sunday, the Packers play the Vikings at 4:25 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcasted live on Fox.