Green Bay Packers: Have They Wasted Two Hall of Fame QBs?

They are one of the landmark franchises of the modern era. Everybody knows and respects the Green Bay Packers based on the success they’ve had.

Much of that success can be directly tied to their great fortune in producing back-to-back Hall of Fame quarterbacks. It started all the way back in 1992 with Brett Favre. The gunslinging former 2nd round pick was acquired for a 1st round pick by then-GM Ron Wolf. It was considered a bold move at the time and one many felt too expensive. Wolf didn’t care. He thought Favre was the missing piece the franchise needed. Three MVP awards, no missed starts and a Lombardi trophy later and it’s safe to say he got it right.

Then just as Favre was winding down, in swoops Aaron Rodgers. Arguably the most accurate thrower of the football to ever play in the NFL, he took things to another level after taking over in 2008. He could throw all the touchdowns like Favre with just a fraction of the interceptions. Three years after the switch was made, Green Bay were champions again.

It’s been quite the run. Yet memorable as it is, one can’t help but ask. Have the Packers failed to get more out of it?

General feel is the franchise hasn’t gotten enough bang for their buck

It is hard not to feel that way. Across 25 years the Packers have employed the services of two first ballot Hall of Famers at quarterback. To have only two Super Bowl championships to show for it? That has to feel disappointing. Tom Brady by himself has five. Ben Roethlisberger may not reach the Hall of Fame and he has two. Jim Plunkett will never reach the Hall of Fame and he has two.

Understand that this team has made the playoffs 19 times in the past 25 seasons. They’ve had 19 opportunities to win a championship just in that span. Four times ended with defeat in the NFC championship and they also lost Super Bowl XXXII to the Denver Broncos. Conversely the Baltimore Ravens, who have only existed since 1996, have two Super Bowl trophies with 10 playoff trips. They won their titles with Trent Dilfer and Joe Flacco.

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For all the praise they receive for their handling of the quarterback position, Green Bay should get considerable flak for their failure not to put adequate enough rosters around them to win more championships. Rodgers turns 34 in December. He’ll be coming off a broken collarbone. His window won’t stay open forever. If he fails to win another title, the organization will lose some of their former mystique.