'Play it Safe' Aaron Rodgers Cares Too Much About Protecting His QB Rating

Colin Cowherd: “I always loved Andrew Luck – he threw picks. I love Carson Wentz – he throws picks. I love Sam Darnold – he throws picks. I always loved John Elway – he threw picks. I like Terry Bradshaw, Troy Aikman, and Peyton Manning – they ALL threw a bunch of picks. I’m not really into ‘I NEVER THROW PICKS!’, it’s what Bill Parcells used to tell Phil Simms. I’m not looking for 11/11, you gotta throw the ball down the field and make stuff happened. Aaron Rodgers used to be more of a risk taker, but I think he’s very sensitive with criticism, and guys tend to protect their space in life. Brett Favre, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees are all over the record books, but Rodgers is not. He has ONE record that really means something to him – PASSER RATING; number one all-time barely. Interceptions are not good for his efficiency rating and I think over the last 4 of 5 years he’s gotten too safe and protective of that record. He led the NFL in throwaways last year, and you won’t beat San Francisco by playing scared, ‘playing it safe’ and not throwing it up. The last year Rodgers threw double-digit picks was the last year he won the Super Bowl.” (Full Audio Above)

Listen to Colin Cowherd explain why he thinks Aaron Rodgers’ esteemed level of dominance at the quarterback position has waned the past few seasons, as the 36-year-old has only averaged 22.3 touchdown passes the last three seasons.

Colin thinks that Rodgers has now established himself as a ‘play it safe’ quarterback who would rather settle for short and intermediate passes without ever taking chances down the field with long throws.

The reason? Colin believes Rodgers is obsessed with his NFL all-time leading passer rating of 102.4, which slightly edges Russell Wilson’s 101.2 as the highest in league history, and is now scared to throw interceptions and lose the record in the process.

Check out the audio below as Colin points at that the last time Rodgers had a double-digit interception season was when he won the Super Bowl in 2011, and details who Rodgers becomes less dynamic the more scared he is to take chances.