Aaron Rodgers is a 4-time MVP and former Super Bowl champion who will make the Pro Football Hall of Fame the moment he is eligible. Despite his obvious talent and great success in the NFL, Rodgers says he had his doubts about being a professional football player. There was even a time Rodgers thought he might become a lawyer.
Rodgers appeared on an episode of “Pardon My Take” that was released on Monday. In the episode, Rodgers was asked about this potential alternate life where he didn’t pursue football.
Rodgers said he considered studying to become a lawyer because he was so lightly recruited after his senior season of high school. What turned things for him was the Pleasant Valley High School baseball coach prodding Rodgers to come pitch for his team. The baseball coach was Rodgers’ JV football coach and wanted the quarterback to try pitching even though Rodgers hadn’t played baseball since 8th grade.
Rodgers says that was the turning point that got him refocused on pursuing football because it helped stoke his competitive fire.
“Because I came out of the winter, had no offers, and really didn’t know what I was going to do. Obviously, the [junior colleges] in the area wanted me to come play there, but growing up, you don’t dream about playing, you know, JUCO ball. You dream about playing on Saturdays on ABC with Keith Jackson calling your games. You’re not thinking about playing at Cowan Stadium in Oroville, California in front of 500 people,” Rodgers said.
“But playing baseball that spring really kind of gave me my competitive fire back, and I played in this All-Star football game that summer. And I say ‘All-Star’ very lightly, because it was in Northern California, kind of North-South, there were only a few of us from that game who went on to play in college. But that kind of gave me my fire back. I went to Junior College at Butte, had a fantastic time, still very close with my coaches there, and then the rest is kind of history.”
As much as I hate him Aaron gave some great answers to questions about Football, Life and the chip on his shoulder #GritWeek2022 pic.twitter.com/yVitYkWOGP
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) August 8, 2022
Playing baseball as a senior in high school is what helped Rodgers turn things around. He went on to play football in the fall of 2002 for Butte College. Cal coach Jeff Tedford discovered Rodgers and recruited him to play for the Bears. Rodgers enjoyed success at Cal in 2003 and put together an incredible season there in 2004 before entering the NFL Draft.
The Green Bay Packers then took Rodgers in the first round in 2005. They sure are lucky the world got Aaron Rodgers, Quarterback rather than Aaron Rodgers, Esq.
