Asked About Tom Brady's Longevity, Aaron Rodgers Calls Patriots QB 'A Unicorn'
BOSTON (CBS) -- Most people simply refer to Tom Brady as the G.O.A.T., but Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has a different creature in mind.
Brady and Rodgers are set to square off for just the second time ever Sunday night when the Packers pay a visit to the Patriots. So prepare yourself for a whole bunch of Brady Vs. Rodgers debates over the next few days, and which quarterback is the greatest to ever take a football field.
The two future Hall of Famers have been good friends for years and have plenty of respect or each other. Brady spent most of his Monday morning interview on WEEI saying how much he enjoys watching Rodgers play, and that seeing him perform on Sundays is an inspiration.
Rodgers returned the favor on a conference call with the New England media on Wednesday.
"The feeling is mutual," Rodgers said. "As a young player, I watched a ton of his film. I had a great guy to watch every single day in Brett Favre, but he's been at the top of his game for a long, long time. I watched most of his snaps from the '07 season and have always been a big fan of his. Just the stuff he does on the field is phenomenal.
"Then to see him as he's gotten older in his career continue to reinvent himself year after year and play at a high level every season, obviously winging championships, he's a phenomenal player. He's a pioneer," said Rodgers. "It's been really impressive to watch."
But "pioneer" didn't quite cut it for a 41-year-old quarterback that is still going strong, with five Super Bowl rings and four Super Bowl MVPs already under his belt.
"Tom's a unicorn," he said. "There's not many like him."
So there you have it. Brady has surpassed G.O.A.T. status and gone into the realm of mythical creatures.
While a Brady-Rodgers matchup has proven to be just as rare as a unicorn, Sunday's game should live up to the hype. The one time Rodgers did face off with Brady was back in 2014, when he threw for 368 yards and two touchdowns against the New England defense. Brady threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns in that game, a 26-21 Patriots loss at Lambeau Field. They seemed destined to meet up against in Super Bowl XLIX, but Green Bay lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC title game. New England ended up winning one of the most exciting Super Bowls ever, 28-24, a few weeks later.
Some will continue to debate if Brady or Rodgers is the best ever, but the Packers quarterback appeared to close the book on that argument Wednesday.
"He's got five championships," said Rodgers, who has one Lombardi trophy in his career. "I think that ends most discussions."