It’s not about both quarterbacks winning a Super Bowl
Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young completed an interview with Rich Eisen last week, and something he said about Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers has been sticking with me. Young explained to Eisen that Stafford and Rodgers are arguably the last of their kind at the quarterback position, and both players can continue to leverage that experience into interest and ultimately money.
Said Young,
“For people who learned in a sophisticated era, it just makes it that much more profitable, and that’s why those guys and Aaron’s the last one…I mean Matthew Stafford. Matthew and Aaron are the last ones…that have learned in more sophisticated era and are taking advantage of it.”
Young’s viewpoint is the quarterback position is safer than ever, in theory, the game is safer than ever too and so because of that limited risk (by comparison to previous NFL eras), Stafford and Rodgers don’t want to walk away. Like Liam Neeson, they want to use their very particular set of skills to keep playing to grow their legacy, and wealth.
Of course, the last couple seasons have been hard on Rodgers who tore his Achilles with the New York Jets, but Rodgers is still getting another shot in the league with the Pittsburgh Steelers. If he wins a playoff game for Pittsburgh it will be the talk of the league.
Stafford made his way out of the Detroit Lions and you could argue he’s played his best football since joining the Los Angeles Rams, and the Rams continue to work with him and pay that man his money.
Until the league tells these two veteran gunslingers that their time in the league is done, why would they walk away?
Another layer is at this point any season could be the final season for these two future Hall of Famers, so until then, enjoy their on-field ability because when Rodgers and Stafford go, we may never see another two QB’s quite like them.
When they’ll call it, is anyone’s guess. They might not even know.
Whenever Stafford and Rodgers do decide to call it, they will be leaving the quarterback position in very capable hands with young studs like Jayden Daniels, Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts.
The future of the position looks bright to be sure, but there will not be another Rodgers and Stafford. According to Young, they are essentially the last of a dying breed.