Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers participated in a conference call today with media in Flowery Branch covering the NFC championship game. The two-time NFL MVP, who was drafted in the first round in 2005 and took over as starter in 2008, spoke about the Falcons, quarterback Matt Ryan and more. Here is a transcript:
What has been your approach to handling the expectations of being the Packers quarterback?
“Well, you learn as a young player the tradition of excellence that we have here laid down over the years by [former head coach] Curly Lambeau, Bart Starr, the multiple championships that we’ve won, and then being here with Brett [Favre] … obviously, you know what a high level he played at for so many years.
“So the expectation was understood at a very young age in my career that those guys set the bar really high and that’s the way they expect you to play so you knew there wasn’t going to be a very long grace period for myself once I stepped in there, and I wanted to make sure I was ready to go.”
Has the grace period been better since winning the Super Bowl (following the 2010 season), or do you still feel that?
“I think the grace period improves, but as a competitor the expectation never changes. You want to win it every single year, and the year you don’t is a disappointment. That’s how our fans feel, how our players feel, and how the organization … we expect greatness every single year.
“It’s not like this at every other place. I know that from talking to guys who come in from other teams and just being a historian myself of the game and knowing the teams and the organizations that have won it and achieved that consistent level of success, there’s something different about those organizations and we’re proud that we’re one of them. It’s been fun to be here for 12 years now.”
This Atlanta has a lot of young players; how have you seen them improve?
“They do have a lot of young players, but very talented players. I said it during the week and last time, I think [rookie strong safety Keanu] Neal is a very talented player. He’s had a fantastic season. He’s done a lot of things out there that make you think he’s a veteran.
“Having him out there and being healthy and consistent is a big part of their success. When you play defense like this, which is kind of rooted in the Seattle concepts, you need that player – as [the Seahawks have] – in Kam Chancellor, and Neal has really stepped in and done a fantastic job for them.
“You look at the other young guys. Obviously [outside linebacker] Vic [Beasley Jr.] had a fantastic season. [Rookie linebacker] Deion Jones has improved every single week. They’ve been banged up a little bit, losing [cornerback Desmond] Trufant, but [second-year pro Jalen] Collins has stepped in and [rookie cornerback Brian] Poole has definitely improved.
“It’s a very good defense. Those guys are not playing like rookies, and as much as I know that [quarterback] Matt [Ryan] and them deserve a lot of credit, and probably get a lot of the notoriety, the way they’ve played on defense, especially the way they played last week … You look at the way they corralled that offense of Seattle was really outstanding.”
What are your thoughts on Matt Ryan?
“Matt’s a great player. He’s had a great year, just been really consistent this entire season, been consistently at a high level, which is tough to do.
“You know, I’ve gotten to know him a little over the years, mostly playing golf with him in Tahoe, and I’ve always enjoyed our conversations and getting to spend time with him. I just have an enormous amount of respect for the way he goes about his business. Him and I and [Ravens quarterback Joe] Flacco all started as starters in 2008, and I’ve always spoken with them.
“I’ve always been impressed by Matt since the opening game, when he came in Lambeau and was running the no-huddle offense as a rookie and was going up and down the field on us. He’s a talented guy, and it’s fun to see him have so much success this year because he’s one of the good ones.”
What is it like playing with the expectations in Green Bay and at Lambeau Field?
“It’s a great honor in a special environment. If you’ve ever been to Green Bay, you’re surprised by the size of the town. It’s a small town, good folks. I remember the first time I got here, I was driving around wondering where the tall buildings were at, and then Boom! There’s Lambeau, the largest building in the area.
“It’s a special connection that the organization and the players have with our fan base. Not having an owner is a huge part of that [the team is community owned]. Everybody feels personally invested and some actually are going back to the stadium project and the tax. The residents of Brown county voted it half a percent higher, and everybody jumped on that and passed it because of how much they love the Packers. You see the pieces of stock for a couple hundred bucks, and you get hundreds of thousands of requests from people wanting to buy them. It’s like no other place in our sport and probably in North America in the big four sports. I’m really proud to be part of it.
“The other thing is as a football historian and someone who’s loved the game since an early age, you realize how special it is to be a part of this team and also know that this team’s been around since 1919 and it’s going be around long after your done, so when you’re in it, when you’re part of it, you’ve got to try to make it as good as you can. I also have the perspective that this is a special place to play, but it’s finite and you’ve got to make the most of the opportunities.”
Falcons head coach has said since he arrived before the 2015 season that he wants this to be a physical team; are the Falcons matching that?
“They hit you. They’re a tough bunch. They tackle well, and it starts with 22 [Neal]. He’s one of the best tacklers in the league based on his play this season, but they all run to the ball. They’ve got good motors. You’ve got a guy like [defensive end] Brooks Reed, he’s all over the field making plays, and a high-motor guy.
“Their front is very active. Yeah, they’re going to bang on you a little bit, but it’s the NFL and you’ve got to be ready to play every week.”
How did you not fumble when you were sacked from behind in the final minute of last Sunday’s playoff win in Dallas?
“I think the key was for me that I was loose with it. A lot of times, when you take a hit like that and you’re tensing up you fumble it. But if you’re loose with it, kind of the first reaction is to tense up and tighten up and I was loose because I thought we were picked up [the blitz was blocked] on the pressure.
“Obviously, we weren’t. Mentally, I was with it enough to realize we needed a timeout after that play, but I’m thankful that I was born with some over-sized hands.”
The next play, your scrambling 36-yard-pass to tight end Jared Cook to set up the game-winning field goal as time expired, has been said to have been drawn up by you in the dirt. Is that true?
“We were kind of drawing it up there. We’ve got a number of different plays that we talk about in the game situations. We’d kind of used a couple of them in the game already so we just made slight adjustments off the stuff that we’d done before. Sometimes, it’s schoolyard because you tell everybody what they’re doing, but it’s based on concepts that we’ve run and ideas that we’ve talked about many times throughout the season. It all kind of came together at the same time, and we were able to make the play.”
Following up on your golf time with Matt Ryan … he’s pretty competitive here playing ping-pong in the locker room; what’s he like on the golf course?
“He’s competitive. The thing I’ve always appreciated about Matt is he is a laid-back guy. He’s a really fun guy to be around and shoot the breeze with. He’s competitive, though. We all are. When we’re out in Tahoe, especially the active guys, we’re all trying to beat each other.
“Matt’s got some stick; he’s got some good game. I think I’ve got him maybe one time in all the years we’ve been in the tournament together. That’s what I appreciate about him. He’s laid-back talking, BSing, and then when he gets over that ball and sticks it on the green, that’s what a good competitor does. You have that balance where you can turn it off when you need to turn it off, and turn it on when you need to turn it on.”
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