Aaron Rodgers Just Made NFL History With Latest Passing Milestone

12/20/2020 03:38 pm EST

The Green Bay Packers defeated the Carolina Panthers 24-16 on Saturday night, continuing a season of success for Aaron Rodgers and his teammates. The veteran quarterback was not happy with the offensive performance, but he still made NFL history during the game. He now has more 40-touchdown seasons than any other quarterback in history.

Rodgers entered the game needing one touchdown pass to reach 40 for the season. He achieved this goal on the first possession by throwing a one-yard touchdown pass to tight end Robert Tonyan. Rodgers used a play-action pass to connect with his tight end, a staple in the Packers' offense during his career. According to ESPN Stats & Information, exactly half of Rodgers' 40 touchdowns were on play-action passes.

Before connecting with Tonyan for the early score, Rodgers was in a tie with a Hall of Famer and two of the biggest names in NFL history for the most 40-touchdown seasons. Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Dan Marino were the only other QBs to reach the mark, having done so twice in their respective careers.

Rodgers previously reached 40-plus touchdowns during the 2011 and 2016 seasons. The Packers went 15-1 in 2011 while the veteran won league MVP. Although the Packers lost during their first playoff game. The 2016 team achieved a 10-6 record, won the NFC North and returned to the postseason, losing the NFC Championship to the Atlanta Falcons.

Rodgers' record-setting performance on Saturday night was only the latest in a long career. The former first-round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft has numerous records on his career resume that serve as a testament to his talent. Some examples are the all-time single-season leader in passer rating (122.5), most consecutive seasons with a passer rating over 100 (8) and most touchdown passes of 70 or more yards.

The veteran QB has his team sitting at 11-3 and en route to the postseason once again. If the Packers continue winning, the team will have the opportunity to enjoy a first-round bye and then home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Rodgers is aware of the stakes and plans on winning the second Super Bowl of his career, but he has concerns about the offense.

"Tonight, we had a couple of good quarters and a couple stinkers," Rodgers said at the beginning of his postgame press conference. "That's just not consistent, winning football." The Packers started the game strong with three touchdown drives but struggled during the second half with various mistakes. They started with a 21-3 lead but only won the game 24-16. "We just know that type of football in the second half [is] not gonna get it done in the playoffs," Rodgers continued. "That's where we're going."

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