Editing Aaron Rodgers (section)

====2009====
{{see also|2009 Green Bay Packers season}}
For the opening game of the [[2009 Green Bay Packers season|2009 season]], Rodgers recorded his first win in a comeback situation. The Packers were trailing at the beginning of the fourth quarter when Rodgers completed a fifty-yard touchdown pass to [[wide receiver]] [[Greg Jennings]] with about a minute remaining in the game to contribute to the 21–15 victory over the [[Chicago Bears]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jenkins |first=Chris |date=December 8, 2019 |title=Rodgers brings Pack back for 21–15 win over Bears |url=https://www.hollandsentinel.com/article/20090914/NEWS/309149882 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208022530/https://www.hollandsentinel.com/article/20090914/NEWS/309149882 |archive-date=December 8, 2019 |access-date=December 8, 2019 |website=Holland Sentinel}}</ref>

Rodgers was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for {{nowrap|October 2009}}, when he passed for 988 yards, completed 74.5 percent of his passes, and recorded a passer rating over 110 for all three games played during the month.<ref name="Rodgers, Sharper, Knox win NFC player of month honors">{{Cite web |last=Rosenthal |first=Gregg |date=October 29, 2009 |title=Rodgers, Sharper, Knox win NFC player of month honors |url=http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/10/29/rodgers-sharper-knox-win-nfc-player-of-month-honors/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112100938/http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/10/29/rodgers-sharper-knox-win-nfc-player-of-month-honors/ |archive-date=January 12, 2014 |access-date=May 13, 2012 |website=ProFootballTalk.com}}</ref>

After a 4–4 start to the season and a 38–28 loss to the previously winless Buccaneers,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Green Bay Packers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – November 8th, 2009 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200911080tam.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108032603/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200911080tam.htm |archive-date=November 8, 2017 |access-date=November 4, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref> the team began to heat up. Rodgers led the Packers to five straight wins, in which he threw for a total of 1,324 yards, nine [[touchdown]]s, and two [[interception]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aaron Rodgers – Games 9–13 in 2009 |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/3NZjQ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201192346/https://stathead.com/tools/tiny.fcgi?id=3NZjQ |archive-date=December 1, 2021 |access-date=March 11, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref> Rodgers and the Packers won two of their last three games, finishing the second half of the season with a 7–1 record and an overall 11–5 record; good enough to secure a [[Wild card (sports)|wild card]] playoff berth and clinch the fifth seed in the playoffs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aaron Rodgers 2009 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RodgAa00/gamelog/2009/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101211154/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RodgAa00/gamelog/2009/ |archive-date=January 1, 2018 |access-date=January 1, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2009 Green Bay Packers Statistics & Players |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/2009.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115032207/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/2009.htm |archive-date=November 15, 2017 |access-date=January 1, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref>

The Packers set a new franchise record by scoring 461 total points (third in the league), breaking the previous record held by the 1996 Super Bowl team (456).<ref>{{Cite web |title=2009 NFL Standings & Team Stats |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2009/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180504033136/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2009/ |archive-date=May 4, 2018 |access-date=January 1, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1996 NFL Standings & Team Stats |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1996/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211094812/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1996/ |archive-date=February 11, 2010 |access-date=January 1, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref> Rodgers became the first [[quarterback]] in NFL history ever to throw for 4,000 yards in both of his first two years as a starter.<ref name="Rodgers Proscout.com">{{Cite web |last=Huber |first=Bill |date=May 9, 2012 |title=Wisconsin Makes 12–12–12 'Aaron Rodgers Day' |url=http://gnb.scout.com/2/1185173.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130701070113/http://gnb.scout.com/2/1185173.html |archive-date=July 1, 2013 |access-date=May 13, 2012 |work=Fox Sports}}</ref> He finished the season fourth in passing yards (4,434), touchdown passes (30), passer rating (103.2), and yards per attempt (8.2) as well as eighth in completion percentage (64.7%), while also coming second among quarterbacks in rushing yards (316).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Quarterbacks by rushing yards, 2009 season |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/dkEhS |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201192342/https://stathead.com/tools/tiny.fcgi?id=dkEhS |archive-date=December 1, 2021 |access-date=December 26, 2016 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |publisher=Sports Reference}}</ref> His passing yardage made him second all-time in Packers history, behind only [[Lynn Dickey]]'s all-time single-season record.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Individual Records&nbsp;– Passing |url=http://prod.static.packers.clubs.nfl.com/assets/docs/2010mediaguide_records.pdf#page=6 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126102232/http://prod.static.packers.clubs.nfl.com/assets/docs/2010mediaguide_records.pdf#page=6 |archive-date=January 26, 2021 |access-date=January 8, 2011 |publisher=Packers.com}}</ref> His passer rating of 103.2 was also third-highest in team history at the time, behind only [[Bart Starr]]'s 105.0 rating in {{NFL year|1966}} and 104.3 rating in {{NFL year|1968}} (minimum 150 attempts).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Green Bay Packers, 1950–2009, highest passer rating. |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/a4QtT |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201192343/https://stathead.com/tools/tiny.fcgi?id=a4QtT |archive-date=December 1, 2021 |access-date=December 26, 2016 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |publisher=Sports Reference}}</ref>

[[File:Aaron Rodgers - December 27, 2009 2.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7|Rodgers in 2009, before a snap]]
In the [[2009–10 NFL playoffs#NFC: Arizona Cardinals 51, Green Bay Packers 45 (OT)|Wild Card Round]], the Packers played the [[Arizona Cardinals]], the same team they had previously beaten the week before, 33–7.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Baum |first=Bob |date=January 4, 2010 |title=Rodgers shreds Cardinals backups in 33–7 rout |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-rodgers-shreds-cardinals-backups-in-33-7-rout-2010jan03-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208022718/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-rodgers-shreds-cardinals-backups-in-33-7-rout-2010jan03-story.html |archive-date=December 8, 2019 |access-date=December 8, 2019 |website=The San Diego Union-Tribune}}</ref> Rodgers and Cardinals quarterback [[Kurt Warner]] put on a show that later ranked second on NFL Network's ''Top 10 Quarterback Duels''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Top Ten Quarterback Duels |url=http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-top-ten/0ap2000000273976/Top-Ten-Quarterback-Duels |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101135801/http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-top-ten/0ap2000000273976/Top-Ten-Quarterback-Duels |archive-date=January 1, 2018 |access-date=January 1, 2018 |publisher=National Football League}}</ref> Rodgers' first pass was intercepted by [[Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wild Card – Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals – January 10th, 2010 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201001100crd.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821003908/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201001100crd.htm |archive-date=August 21, 2017 |access-date=November 15, 2021 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Rodgers settled down after that miscue, however, and finished the game completing 28 of 42 passes for 423 yards, with four touchdown passes all in a second-half comeback. His 423 passing yards are the most by any quarterback in his first playoff game as well as his four touchdown passes and five total touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cohen |first=Robert W. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1HleDwAAQBAJ&q=rodgers%2520423%2520first%2520playoff%2520game&pg=PA46 |title=The 50 Greatest Players in Green Bay Packers History |date=September 1, 2018 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=9781493031894 |language=en |access-date=September 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203205326/https://books.google.com/books?id=1HleDwAAQBAJ&q=rodgers%2520423%2520first%2520playoff%2520game&pg=PA46 |archive-date=February 3, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> Warner shredded the Packers' second-ranked defense, completing 29 of 33 passes for 379 yards, five touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 154.1. Despite Rodgers' offensive efforts, the Packers lost the game when he fumbled on a controversial play in overtime. The ball was returned by [[Karlos Dansby]] for the winning touchdown in the 51–45 Cardinals victory.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Crouse |first=Karen |date=January 10, 2010 |title=Cardinals' Defense Ends Shootout With Packers in Overtime |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/11/sports/football/11cardinals.html |url-status=live |access-date=September 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824010502/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/11/sports/football/11cardinals.html |archive-date=August 24, 2019}}</ref> It was the highest scoring playoff game in NFL history.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 10, 2015 |title=Remembering The Day of the Highest Scoring Playoff Game in NFL History |url=http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/throwback/201501/highest-scoring-playoff-game-nfl-history |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208022939/http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/throwback/201501/highest-scoring-playoff-game-nfl-history |archive-date=December 8, 2019 |access-date=December 8, 2019 |website=ThePostGame.com}}</ref>

Due to his regular season performance, Rodgers earned a trip to his first [[2009 Pro Bowl|Pro Bowl]] as the NFC's third quarterback, behind [[Drew Brees]] and Brett Favre. However, after Favre dropped out due to injury and Brees was replaced due to his participation in [[Super Bowl XLIV]], Rodgers became the NFC's starter.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2009 NFL Pro Bowlers |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2009/probowl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821031640/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2009/probowl.htm |archive-date=August 21, 2018 |access-date=March 11, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref>