Relive Aaron Rodgers' Best Touchdown Passes From 2016
Aaron Rodgers threw 40 touchdown passes in 2016, the second most he’s ever tossed in a single season so far in his career. Here are some of the best.
Jordy Nelson announces his return against Jacksonville
If you wondered how long it would take Aaron Rodgers and Jordy Nelson to get their rhythm back after Nelson missed all of the 2015 season and didn’t play in the preseason, the answer was “not actually that long at all.” Rodgers shows deft pocket management and when he decides to throw, he fires a dart just out of the reach of a Jacksonville defender.
The Jacksonville Jaguars sacked Rodgers for a 29-yard touchdown
Once a game or so, Rodgers makes a throw where you can feel a thousand opposing fans screaming “OH COME ON!” at their televisions. This was such a throw. Rodgers was being dragged down by Jacksonville cornerback Jalen Ramsey, but shook off the sack and found Adams for the score.
Nelson nets a free play TD
This is a great play by both Rodgers and Nelson, but let’s take a moment to thank the Colts for their contributions to this touchdown. First, they had the courtesy to jump offsides on a third and one play, giving the Packers a first down regardless of what happened. Second, the safety makes one of the lamer attempts you’ll ever see at breaking up the pass, which Rodgers floated to Nelson off of his back foot. It’s a wonder Indianapolis managed to win this game, but alas, the 2016 Packers.
Grab his facemask. See what happens.
Defender: “I bet you can’t throw a touchdown pass after I try to pull your face off.”
Rodgers: “Hold my beer.”
Don’t turn your back on Aaron Rodgers
If there was a moment when the 2015 to early 2016 slump version of Aaron Rodgers transformed back into AARON RODGERS, it was on this throw to Davante Adams. It has all the hallmarks of a great Rodgers touchdown pass: the pocket collapsing around him, a defender with his back turned who may believe that Rodgers won’t notice, an impossibly tight window, and absolutely perfect placement.
Wait for it
Plays like this are why I sometimes laugh when people say that Aaron Rodgers doesn’t play with good fundamentals. Do you know how good your fundamentals have to be to even attempt a play like this? Rodgers takes the snap, sets his feet to scan the field, senses pressure and moves left, resets the pocket, moves again, gets his feet about 75 percent re-reset, then delivers a laser to Geronimo Allison. If Rodgers doesn’t have the basic skill set to make the first four to six decisions on the play, the final result isn’t even possible.
It looks like they practice Hail Mary passes (because they actually do)
In training camp, Rodgers will typically spend a portion of practice trying to throw a football into a net from about 60 yards away. If you’ve ever seen him do that and thought “I wonder what that would look like if it happened in an actual game,” wonder no more.