Editing Aaron Rodgers (section)

==College career==
Despite his impressive high school record, Rodgers attracted little interest from {{nowrap|[[NCAA Division I|Division I]]}} programs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kalland |first=Robby |date=September 3, 2015 |title=How Aaron Rodgers went from not being recruited to a star at Cal |url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/how-aaron-rodgers-went-from-not-being-recruited-to-a-star-at-cal/ |access-date=May 30, 2024 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}}</ref> In a 2011 interview with ''[[E:60]]'', he attributed the relative lack of attention in the recruiting process to his unimposing physical stature as a high school player at {{convert|5|ft|10|in|m|abbr=on}} and {{convert|165|lb|kg}}. Rodgers wanted to attend [[Florida State Seminoles football|Florida State]] and play under head coach [[Bobby Bowden]], but was rejected.<ref name="E60 Youtube">{{Cite web |date=October 27, 2011 |title=E:60 – Aaron Rodgers |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blrmdIfXPwI |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302212553/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blrmdIfXPwI |archive-date=March 2, 2012 |access-date=May 13, 2012 |publisher=ESPN|via=YouTube}}</ref> He was only offered an opportunity to compete for a scholarship as a [[Walk-on (sports)|walk-on]] from [[Illinois Fighting Illini football|University of Illinois]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=McGrath |first=Jim |date=June 29, 2011 |title=Green Bay QB Rodgers Visits All-Pro Campers at W&M |work=Williamsburg Yorktown Daily |url=http://www.wydailyarchives.com/local-news/6783-green-bay-qb-rodgers-visits-all-pro-campers-at-wam.html |url-status=dead |access-date=August 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921054645/http://www.wydailyarchives.com/local-news/6783-green-bay-qb-rodgers-visits-all-pro-campers-at-wam.html |archive-date=September 21, 2013}}</ref> He declined the invitation, and considered quitting football to play [[baseball]] instead or giving up entirely on the idea of playing in [[professional sports]] and attending [[Law school in the United States|law school]] after completing his undergraduate degree.<ref name="Babb">{{Cite news |last=Babb |first=Kent |date=December 15, 2015 |title=For Aaron Rodgers, road to the NFL started at an apparent dead end |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/for-aaron-rodgers-road-to-the-nfl-started-at-an-apparent-dead-end/2015/12/15/8fe12800-a359-11e5-ad3f-991ce3374e23_story.html |url-status=live |access-date=November 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130205037/https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/for-aaron-rodgers-road-to-the-nfl-started-at-an-apparent-dead-end/2015/12/15/8fe12800-a359-11e5-ad3f-991ce3374e23_story.html |archive-date=November 30, 2018}}</ref>

He was then recruited to play football at [[Butte College]] in [[Oroville, California|Oroville]], a junior college about {{convert|15|mi|km}} southeast of Chico.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sandler |first=Michael |url=https://archive.org/details/aaronrodgersgree0000sand |title=Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl XLV |date=August 1, 2011 |publisher=Bearport Publishing |isbn=9781617723094 |url-access=registration}}</ref>

===Butte===
====2002 season====
Rodgers threw 26 touchdowns in his freshman season at Butte,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aaron Rodgers |url=https://www.cccco.edu/About-Us/Notable-Alumni/Aaron-Rodgers |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028170413/https://www.cccco.edu/About-Us/Notable-Alumni/Aaron-Rodgers |archive-date=October 28, 2021 |access-date=October 13, 2021 |website=California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Stats & Records |url=http://www.butte.edu/departments/athletics/football/StatsRecords.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202112615/http://www.butte.edu/departments/athletics/football/StatsRecords.html |archive-date=December 2, 2008 |access-date=November 18, 2011 |website=butte.edu |publisher=[[Butte College]]}}</ref> leading the school to a 10–1 record, the NorCal Conference championship,<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 8, 2008 |title=Title-tilt bound: Butte secures NorCal championship |url=https://www.chicoer.com/20081108/title-tilt-bound-butte-secures-norcal-championship/ |access-date=May 30, 2024 |website=Chico Enterprise-Record |language=en-US}}</ref> and a {{nowrap|No. 2}} national ranking. While there, he was discovered by the [[California Golden Bears football|California Golden Bears]]' head coach [[Jeff Tedford]], who was recruiting Butte tight end Garrett Cross.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McGrath |first=Dan |date=November 11, 2004 |title=Cal QB Rodgers has the pedigree |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2004-11-11-0411110322-story.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205183533/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2004-11-11-0411110322-story.html |archive-date=December 5, 2019 |access-date=September 13, 2019 |website=Chicago Tribune}}</ref> Tedford was surprised to learn that Rodgers had not been recruited earlier. Because of Rodgers' good high school scholastic record, he was eligible to transfer to the [[University of California, Berkeley]] after one year of junior college instead of the typical two.<ref name="Cal">{{Cite news |last=Adams |first=Bruce |date=August 3, 2003 |title=Cal's QB hope: JC transfer Rodgers has what Tedford likes |work=San Francisco Chronicle |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/08/03/SP275334.DTL |url-status=live |access-date=January 24, 2011 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121216105944/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/08/03/SP275334.DTL |archive-date=December 16, 2012}}</ref>

===California===
====2003 season====
{{see also|2003 California Golden Bears football team}}

As a [[junior college]] transfer, Rodgers had three years of eligibility at Cal. He was named the starting quarterback in the fifth game of the 2003 season, beating the only team that offered him a {{nowrap|Division I}} opportunity out of high school, Illinois.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 14, 2014 |title=Aaron Rodgers: I wanted to join Illini; they passed |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2014/10/14/aaron-rodgers-i-wanted-to-join-illini-they-passed/ |access-date=May 30, 2024 |website=Chicago Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref> As a sophomore, he helped lead the Golden Bears to a 7–3 record as a starter.<ref name="calbears1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=King |first=Randy |date=December 26, 2003 |title=Virginia Tech finishes on wrong foot with Insight Bowl loss to Cal |url=https://www.roanoke.com/sports/college/va_tech/virginia-tech-finishes-on-wrong-foot-with-insight-bowl-loss/article_6e776ea8-ae9d-11e7-9aa2-4357db843999.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208021513/https://www.roanoke.com/sports/college/va_tech/virginia-tech-finishes-on-wrong-foot-with-insight-bowl-loss/article_6e776ea8-ae9d-11e7-9aa2-4357db843999.html |archive-date=December 8, 2019 |access-date=December 8, 2019 |website=The Roanoke Times}}</ref>

In his second career start, Rodgers led the team to a 21–7 halftime lead against #3 [[USC Trojans football|USC]]. Due to injury, Rodgers was replaced in the second half by Reggie Robertson.<ref name="calfans" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=September 27, 2003 |title=Cal-USC Postgame Quotes |url=http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/092703aac.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609121444/http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/092703aac.html |archive-date=June 9, 2012 |website=California Golden Bears |quote=After the interception for the touchdown, I went over to him and said 'Do you want to take a couple of series off?' and he said 'Yes.' We put Reggie (Robertson) in and Reggie did a nice job for us."}}</ref> The Bears won in triple [[overtime (American football)|overtime]], 34–31.<ref name="calfans">{{Cite web |date=September 27, 2003 |title=Cal fans storm field after win |url=http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=232700025 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161119182933/https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=232700025 |archive-date=November 19, 2016 |access-date=May 13, 2012 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Faraudo |first=Jeff |date=September 29, 2009 |title=Cal's triple-overtime thriller against USC in 2003 produced multiple heroes |url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2009/09/29/cals-triple-overtime-thriller-against-usc-in-2003-produced-multiple-heroes/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208021406/https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2009/09/29/cals-triple-overtime-thriller-against-usc-in-2003-produced-multiple-heroes/ |archive-date=December 8, 2019 |access-date=December 8, 2019 |website=East Bay Times}}</ref> Rodgers passed for 394 yards and was named game MVP in the [[2003 Insight Bowl|Insight Bowl]] against [[2003 Virginia Tech Hokies football team|Virginia Tech]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Insight Bowl – Virginia Tech vs California Box Score, December 26, 2003 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2003-12-26-california.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312084010/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2003-12-26-california.html |archive-date=March 12, 2018 |access-date=March 11, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Tsuchiya |first=Anita |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MJ5-BwAAQBAJ&q=aaron%2520rodgers%2520insight%2520bowl%2520mvp&pg=PT14 |title=Aaron Rodgers: Biography of a Super Bowl MVP |date=July 30, 2012 |publisher=Hyperink Inc |isbn=9781614646129 |access-date=December 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203201742/https://books.google.com/books?id=MJ5-BwAAQBAJ&q=aaron%2520rodgers%2520insight%2520bowl%2520mvp&pg=PT14 |archive-date=February 3, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2003, Rodgers tied the school season record for 300-yard games with five and set a school record for the lowest percentage of passes intercepted at 1.43%.<ref name="cstv.com">{{Cite web |title=Cal Records |url=http://www.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/cal/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/pdf-07FB121to150-072007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071122202146/http://www.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/cal/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/pdf-07FB121to150-072007 |archive-date=November 22, 2007 |access-date=May 13, 2012 |website=CSTV.com}}</ref>

====2004 season====
{{see also|2004 California Golden Bears football team}}

As a junior, Rodgers led Cal to a 10–1 record and top-five ranking at the end of the regular season, with their only loss a 23–17 loss at {{nowrap|No. 1}} USC.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2004 California Golden Bears Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/california/2004-schedule.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312085053/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/california/2004-schedule.html |archive-date=March 12, 2018 |access-date=March 11, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]]}}</ref> In that game, Rodgers set a school record for consecutive completed passes with 26 and tied an NCAA record with 23 consecutive passes completed in one game.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Ted |date=October 10, 2004 |title=It was there for the taking |url=https://247sports.com/college/california/Article/It-was-there-for-the-taking-104130375/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205183922/https://247sports.com/college/california/Article/It-was-there-for-the-taking-104130375/ |archive-date=December 5, 2019 |access-date=September 13, 2019 |website=BearTerritory.net}}</ref> He set a Cal single-game record for passing completion percentage of 85.3.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lowry |first=Matthew |date=November 15, 2019 |title=Trojans Throwback: 2004 USC vs California |url=https://www.conquestchronicles.com/football/2019/11/15/20966700/trojans-throwback-2004-usc-vs-california |access-date=May 30, 2024 |website=Conquest Chronicles |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wharton |first=David |date=October 10, 2004 |title=Rodgers Can't See It Through to Completion |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-oct-10-sp-uscside10-story.html |access-date=May 30, 2024 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> Rodgers holds the Cal career record for lowest percentage of passes intercepted at 1.95 percent.<ref name="cstv.com" /> Rodgers' performance set up the Golden Bears at first and goal with 1:47 remaining and a chance for the game-winning touchdown. On the first play of USC's goal line stand, Rodgers threw an incomplete pass. This was followed by a second-down sack by [[Manuel Wright]].<ref name="Cal Vs USC 2004" /> After a timeout and Rodgers' incomplete pass on third down, USC stopped Cal's run play to win the game.<ref name="Cal Vs USC 2004" /> Rodgers commented that it was "frustrating that we couldn't get the job done."<ref name="Cal Vs USC 2004">{{Cite web |date=October 9, 2004 |title=Trojans' defense stymies Cal QB at first-and-goal |url=http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=242830030 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817065913/http://scores.espn.com/ncf/recap?gameId=242830030 |archive-date=August 17, 2017 |access-date=May 13, 2012 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> Overall, he finished the 2004 season with 2,566 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. His 66.1% pass completion percentage led the Pac-10.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aaron Rodgers 2004 Game Log |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/aaron-rodgers-1/gamelog/2004/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312084136/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/aaron-rodgers-1/gamelog/2004/ |archive-date=March 12, 2018 |access-date=March 11, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2004 Pacific-10 Conference Leaders |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/pac-10/2004-leaders.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328231847/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/pac-10/2004-leaders.html |archive-date=March 28, 2018 |access-date=March 28, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]]}}</ref> He finished ninth in Heisman Trophy voting.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2004 Heisman Trophy Voting |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-2004.html |access-date=December 2, 2022 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

After [[2004 Texas Longhorns football team|Texas]] was picked over Cal for a [[2005 Rose Bowl|Rose Bowl]] berth, the fourth-ranked Bears were awarded a spot in the [[2004 Holiday Bowl|Holiday Bowl]], which they lost to [[2004 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team|Texas Tech]], 45–31.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 15, 2017 |title=2004 Holiday Bowl: Cal caught in Texas Tech's Air Raid |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/sd-sp-countdown-2004-holiday-bowl-texas-tech-vs-cal-1215-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208021644/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/sd-sp-countdown-2004-holiday-bowl-texas-tech-vs-cal-1215-story.html |archive-date=December 8, 2019 |access-date=December 8, 2019 |website=The San Diego Union-Tribune}}</ref> After the season, Rodgers decided to forgo his senior season to enter the [[2005 NFL draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 6, 2005 |title=Who to watch in 2005 |url=http://www.newsreview.com/chico/who-to-watch-in-2005/content?oid=33331 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426144539/http://www.newsreview.com/chico/who-to-watch-in-2005/content?oid=33331 |archive-date=April 26, 2019 |access-date=February 15, 2012 |website=Chico News & Review}}</ref>

===College statistics===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+ College statistics<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/aaron-rodgers-1.html | title=Aaron Rodgers College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits }}</ref>
! rowspan="2"| Season
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="8"| Passing
! colspan="4"| Rushing
|-
! {{abbr|Cmp|Pass completions}} !! {{abbr|Att|Pass attempts}} !! {{abbr|Pct|Completion percentage}} !! {{abbr|Yds|Passing yards}} !! {{abbr|Avg|Average yards per pass attempts}} !! {{abbr|TD|Passing touchdowns}} !! {{abbr|Int|Interceptions}} !! {{abbr|Rate|Passer rating}} !! {{abbr|Att|Rushing attempts}} !! {{abbr|Yds|Rushing yards}} !! {{abbr|Avg|Average yards per rush}} !! {{abbr|TD|Rushing touchdowns}}
|-
! [[2003 NCAA Division I-A football season|2003]] !! [[2003 California Golden Bears football team|California]]
| '''215'''|| '''349'''|| 61.6 || '''2,903'''|| '''8.3'''|| 19 || 5 || 146.6 || '''86'''|| '''210'''|| '''2.4'''|| '''5'''
|-
! [[2004 NCAA Division I-A football season|2004]] !! [[2004 California Golden Bears football team|California]]
| 209 || 316 || '''66.1'''|| 2,566 || 8.1 || '''24'''|| '''8'''|| '''154.4'''|| 74 || 126 || 1.7 || 3
|-
! colspan="2"| Career !! 424 !! 665 !! 63.8 !! 5,469 !! 8.2 !! 43 || 13 !! 150.3 !! 160 !! 336 !! 2.1 !! 8
|}