A New Era?


For decades, when people would talk about the best quarterbacks in the NFL, you could almost guarantee that two names would be involved: Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers. With 8 Super Bowl wins and 7 NFL MVP awards between them, it is easy to see why. Tom Brady will most likely go down as the best quarterback to ever play the game and Aaron Rodgers is a sure-fire, first-ballot Hall of Famer. Yet, for as impressive of a career as they have had, all good things must come to an end and the time for both of them seems to be coming quick. Both have already set career records, and not for good reasons. The 2022 season may mark the turn of an era in elite quarterbacks in the NFL.

The Heavy Fall from the Top

Ironically, Tom Brady retired last offseason. On February 1st, 2022, Brady announced his official retirement from the NFL. After winning the Super Bowl just a few seasons prior, and accomplishing another playoff berth, it seemed as if he was ready to ride off into the sunset while on top.

However, this only lasted 40 days as he announced his un-retirement on March 13. He was ready to begin his 23rd season in the NFL. 

This season, though, has not been kind to him. Tom Brady has lost three games in a row this year, only the second time since his 2002 season. As well, this is the first time ever in his career where he is two-games under .500. To top it all, he is also on pace to record his lowest number of touchdown passes in a single season. 

This is all just 8-games into the season. Makes you wonder if he should've stayed retired.

Reigning MVP Dud

Aaron Rodgers the league's current reigning MVP for the NFL and was thought to have another MVP-caliber season. This was until they traded away top wide receiver in Davante Adams to the Raiders, leaving Rodgers with a crew of rookies and inexperienced players.

So far this season, Rodgers is only averaging 228 yards per game with 6.5 yards per attempt. Each of these are season lows for his 15-year career. His 1.6 touchdowns per game this season would be his second lowest since his rookie season.

Is Rodgers exactly to blame for this fallout? This a current debate among the NFL world. Losing your top receiver would certainly cause a dip in production, but not as low as they are now. With lots of uncertainty surrounding Rodger's future, it seems as if his time in Green Bay is coming to an end or his career entirely. 

The New Era

However, the league is in good hands with the next era of quarterbacks on deck to take over. Players such as Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, and Lamar Jackson have already established themselves as some of the best players at their position.

Patrick Mahomes is a Super Bowl MVP winning his first Super Bowl back in the 2019 season with the Kansas City Chiefs. During that same season, Lamar Jackson won the AP NFL MVP award while being one of the few quarterbacks in NFL history to have multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Though Josh Allen may not have the awards like Mahomes and Jackosn, he has solidified his position as one of the top quarterbacks in the league, leading the Buffalo Bills to back-to-back playoff appearances with one being all the way to the Conference Championship. 

So, though household names such as Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady may be starting to lose their luster, the future of the quarterback position is bright. Brady and Rodgers will still be remembered as some of the best to do it, but now it is time for the young guys to take over. 



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