Editing Aaron Rodgers (section)

====2011: First MVP====
{{see also|2011 Green Bay Packers season}}
[[File:Aaron Rodgers drops back (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright=0.65|Rodgers drops back for a pass in 2011.]]
Because of the [[2011 NFL lockout]], the Packers and Rodgers did not schedule unofficial off-season workouts, despite many teams doing so.<ref name="allgbp">{{Cite web |last=Burke |first=Kris |date=July 2, 2011 |title=No Workouts? No Problem for the Packers |url=http://allgbp.com/2011/07/02/no-workouts-no-problem-for-the-packers/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229101517/http://allgbp.com/2011/07/02/no-workouts-no-problem-for-the-packers/ |archive-date=December 29, 2016 |access-date=December 29, 2016 |website=All Green Bay Packers}}</ref> Rodgers and the Packers quickly quelled any concerns over their readiness by defeating the Saints, who had scheduled off-season workouts, 42–34. He had 312 passing yards and three touchdowns to earn NFC Offensive Player of the Week.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 8, 2011 |title=Rodgers throws 3 TDs, Packers outlast Saints 42–34 |url=https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110908/sports/709089632/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208023757/https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110908/sports/709089632/ |archive-date=December 8, 2019 |access-date=December 8, 2019 |website=Daily Herald |agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2011 NFL Week 1 Leaders & Scores |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2011/week_1.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180830192658/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2011/week_1.htm |archive-date=August 30, 2018 |access-date=March 28, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref> After the game, Rodgers said in the press conference, "I was going to ask myself, what would have happened if we had offseason workouts? I mean, could we have started any faster and scored more points tonight?"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Darlington |first=Jeff |date=May 25, 2016 |title=Drew Brees' absence no big deal, but July 16 deadline looms |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/drew-brees-absence-no-big-deal-but-july-16-deadline-looms-09000d5d82956d8b |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161208145630/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82956d8b/article/drew-brees-absence-no-big-deal-but-july-16-deadline-looms |archive-date=December 8, 2016 |access-date=December 6, 2016 |publisher=National Football League}}</ref>

In Week 4, a 49–23 victory over the [[Denver Broncos]], Rodgers had 408 passing yards, four touchdowns, and one interception and ran for two touchdowns to earn another NFC Offensive Player of the Week honor.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 2, 2011 |title=Rodgers' big day helps Packers beat Broncos 49–23 |url=https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/sports/2314618-rodgers-big-day-helps-packers-beat-broncos-49-23 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208025355/https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/sports/2314618-rodgers-big-day-helps-packers-beat-broncos-49-23 |archive-date=December 8, 2019 |access-date=December 8, 2019 |website=Duluth News Tribune}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2011 NFL Week 4 Leaders & Scores |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2011/week_4.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180401100045/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2011/week_4.htm |archive-date=April 1, 2018 |access-date=March 28, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref> In Week 6, a 24–3 victory over the [[St. Louis Rams]], Rodgers converted on a career-high 93-yard touchdown pass to [[Jordy Nelson]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jenkins |first=Chris |date=October 16, 2011 |title=Packers stay perfect at 6–0, beat Rams 24–3 |url=http://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=52728156&itype=cmsid |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181211010230/http://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=52728156&itype=cmsid |archive-date=December 11, 2018 |access-date=December 10, 2018 |website=The Salt Lake Tribune}}</ref> In Week 9, a 45–38 victory over the Chargers, he had 247 passing yards and four touchdowns to earn his third NFC Offensive Player of the Week honor for the 2011 season.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 6, 2011 |title=Packers survive Chargers' late push as Aaron Rodgers delivers again |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/game?gameId=311106024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210232803/https://www.espn.com/nfl/game?gameId=311106024 |archive-date=December 10, 2019 |access-date=December 8, 2019 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2011 NFL Week 9 Leaders & Scores |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2011/week_9.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328231451/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2011/week_9.htm |archive-date=March 28, 2018 |access-date=March 28, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref> Rodgers and the Packers got off to a 13–0 start in 2011, tying the NFC record for most consecutive wins to start a season, but were upset by the [[Kansas City Chiefs]] 19–14 in week 15, ending their winning streak at 19 games, the second-longest winning streak in NFL history.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Green Bay Packers at Kansas City Chiefs – December 18th, 2011 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201112180kan.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101211142/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201112180kan.htm |archive-date=January 1, 2018 |access-date=January 1, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2011 Green Bay Packers Statistics & Players |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/2011.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115033715/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/2011.htm |archive-date=November 15, 2017 |access-date=March 11, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref>

Rodgers finished the season with 4,643 passing yards, 45 touchdown passes, and six interceptions, good for a passer rating of 122.5, which as of 2024 is the highest single-season passer rating in NFL history.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aaron Rodgers 2011 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RodgAa00/gamelog/2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101135748/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RodgAa00/gamelog/2011 |archive-date=January 1, 2018 |access-date=January 1, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref> His passing yards, touchdown passes, and passer rating set single-season franchise records.<ref name="single">{{Cite web |title=Green Bay Packers Single-Season Passing Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/single-season-passing.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220323123008/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/single-season-passing.htm |archive-date=March 23, 2022 |access-date=May 24, 2022 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>  In addition to passer rating, Rodgers led the league in touchdown to interception ratio (7.5, fourth-best all-time), touchdowns passing % (9.0%, second highest all-time), and yards per attempt (9.2, fourth-highest all-time since becoming an official stat in 1970), while finishing second in both touchdown passes (45, sixth-highest all-time) and completion percentage (68.3%), as well as fifth in passing yards. He earned NFC Offensive Player of the Month awards for September, October, and November, and FedEx Air Player of the Week six times (Weeks 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 13). In week four, against the Denver Broncos, Rodgers became the only quarterback in NFL history to record over 400 passing yards with four touchdown passes, while also rushing for two touchdowns in the same game.<ref>{{Cite web |title=List of players with at least 400 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, and two rushing touchdowns in a single game. NFL history |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/Io0Od |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201192342/https://stathead.com/tools/tiny.fcgi?id=Io0Od |archive-date=December 1, 2021 |access-date=December 6, 2016 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref> He was the winner of the 2011 [[NFL on Thanksgiving Day#Game MVPs|Galloping gobbler]] as MVP of the Thanksgiving game between the Packers and the Lions, a 27–15 Green Bay victory, and tied an NFL record for [[Most consecutive games with a touchdown pass (NFL)#All-time consecutive games with at least two touchdown passes|consecutive games with at least two touchdown passes (13)]].

The Packers became the fifth team in NFL history to finish the regular season with a 15–1 record.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kruse |first=Zach |date=January 2, 2012 |title=Green Bay Packers Are 5th 15–1 Team in NFL History: How Did the First 4 Finish? |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1007036-green-bay-packers-are-5th-15-1-team-in-nfl-history-how-did-the-first-4-finish |access-date=May 30, 2024 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref> Rodgers played in 15 of the 16 games, with the only exception being Week 17 against the Lions, a game in which Rodgers was rested after the club clinched home-field advantage for the playoffs the previous week. In the game, Rodgers assisted backup quarterback Matt Flynn in his stellar 480-yard, six-touchdown performance by helping call some plays.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Samano |first=Simon |date=January 1, 2012 |title=Rodgers preps Flynn, calls plays during backup QB's big day |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/rodgers-preps-flynn-calls-plays-during-backup-qb-s-big-day-09000d5d825a02db |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190829082359/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d825a02db/article/rodgers-preps-flynn-calls-plays-during-backup-qbs-big-day |archive-date=August 29, 2019 |access-date=September 13, 2019 |publisher=National Football League}}</ref> The Packers' offense set franchise record for points scored in a season with 560, which as of 2016 is the third-most ever behind only the [[2007 New England Patriots season|2007 Patriots]] and [[2013 Denver Broncos season|2013 Broncos]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=All Time Most Points Scored by an NFL Team in a Season |url=https://www.sportingcharts.com/stats/nfl/all-time/most-points-scored-by-an-nfl-team-in-a-season.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130802114230/https://www.sportingcharts.com/stats/nfl/all-time/most-points-scored-by-an-nfl-team-in-a-season.aspx |archive-date=August 2, 2013 |access-date=December 6, 2016 |website=Sporting Charts}}</ref>

Rodgers set numerous NFL records in 2011. He recorded a passer rating of over 100.0 in thirteen games during the season, including twelve games in a row (both records), and a passer rating of 110.0 or higher in twelve games, including eleven in a row (also records). Rodgers also won the league's MVP award, receiving 48 of the 50 votes (the other two going to [[Drew Brees]]). He also finished second, behind Brees, for the AP Offensive Player of the Year award.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 4, 2012 |title=Saints' Brees wins AP Offensive Player of the Year award |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/saints-brees-wins-ap-offensive-player-of-the-year-award-09000d5d8269e4fe |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161208145625/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8269e4fe/article/saints-brees-wins-ap-offensive-player-of-the-year-award |archive-date=December 8, 2016 |access-date=December 6, 2016 |publisher=National Football League |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> Rodgers' 2011 season was later ranked as the third greatest passing season of all time by ESPN in 2013, and was regarded as the most efficient.<ref name="Efficient QBS">{{Cite web |last=Seifert |first=Kevin |date=October 3, 2013 |title=Top 10 greatest quarterback seasons |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/90974/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141103072453/http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/90974/ |archive-date=November 3, 2014 |access-date=November 3, 2014 |website=[[ESPN.com]]}}</ref>

The Packers were upset by the eventual [[Super Bowl XLVI|Super Bowl]] champion [[New York Giants]] in the [[2011–12 NFL playoffs#NFC: New York Giants 37, Green Bay Packers 20|Divisional Round]] by the score of 37–20. The Packers' receiving corps dropped six passes in the loss and Rodgers finished the game with 264 passing yards, two touchdown passes, and an interception on his last pass attempt.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wang |first=Gene |date=January 15, 2012 |title=NFL playoffs 2012: New York Giants stun Green Bay Packers, 37–20 |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/nfl-playoffs-2012-new-york-giants-stun-green-bay-packers-37-20/2012/01/15/gIQAORvp1P_story.html |url-status=live |access-date=December 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906090329/https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/nfl-playoffs-2012-new-york-giants-stun-green-bay-packers-37-20/2012/01/15/gIQAORvp1P_story.html |archive-date=September 6, 2018}}</ref> The 2011 Packers became the only team in NFL history to go 15–1 and not win a playoff game, as well as being the fourth consecutive team to win at least 15 games and not win the Super Bowl.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Emery |first=Mark |date=January 26, 2016 |title=As Carolina Panthers prepare for Super Bowl 50, a look at the fates of six previous teams that won at least 15 in regular season |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/fates-previous-nfl-teams-won-15-plus-article-1.2510117 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161214152104/http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/fates-previous-nfl-teams-won-15-plus-article-1.2510117 |archive-date=December 14, 2016 |access-date=December 12, 2016 |website=Daily News |location=New York}}</ref> Rodgers was named to the Pro Bowl for his 2011 season to go along with a First-team All-Pro honor.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2011 NFL All-Pros |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2011/allpro.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180830185703/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2011/allpro.htm |archive-date=August 30, 2018 |access-date=March 28, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2011 NFL Pro Bowlers |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2011/probowl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180830174119/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2011/probowl.htm |archive-date=August 30, 2018 |access-date=March 28, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref> He was voted by his fellow players as the best player in the league on the [[NFL Top 100 Players of 2012|''NFL Top 100'' Players of 2012]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2012 NFL Top 100 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/2012-nfl-top-100.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322201849/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/2012-nfl-top-100.htm |archive-date=March 22, 2019 |access-date=November 15, 2021 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>