There seems to be widespread resignation amongst Packer fans that, when the team decides to part ways with Aaron Rodgers, whenever that is, Green Bay is likely to fall into a temporary period of decline and mediocrity. After all, replacing a franchise quarterback doesn’t happen overnight, particularly when that quarterback is one of the best to ever play the game.
Maybe that school of thought is fueled by the Packers’ descent into a quarter century of struggle after the retirement of Bart Starr in 1972, at least for those of us that went through it. Much has been made of Green Bay having back to back Hall of Fame quarterbacks, yet when the transition was made from Brett Favre to Rodgers, the team dropped from 13-3 to 6-10 in Rodgers’ first year as a starter.