The injury Aaron Rodgers sustained Sunday afternoon not only left the Packers without their best player for the remainder of the year and put the team’s postseason fate in question, it also left Green Bay with 33 percent less Aarons on the field. Obscure stat: The 2017 Packers are tied for the most Aarons in Green Bay franchise history, a distinction this year’s team shares with the 2007, 2008, and 2009 squads.
Since we don’t want to think about the Packers forging on without (arguably) its best quarterback and (certainly) its best Aaron in franchise history, let’s kill a few minutes before the Brett Hundley era begins by ranking every player named Aaron in Packers franchise history because why the fuck not?
8. Aaron Brown, DE (1973-74)
Defensive end Aaron Brown played 88 games in his respectable career that spanned from 1966 through his final season with the Packers in 1974. In his two years in green and gold, Brown started one game and didn’t do anything else remarkable during hsi days with the Pack.
7. Aaron Hayden, RB (1997)
The 1997 Packers won the NFC Championship and came close to winning Super Bowl XXXII. Reserve running back Aaron Hayden had very little to do with any of that. During his one and only season with Green Bay, Hayden amassed 148 rushing yards and one touchdown on 32 carries, along with 11 receiving yards on two catches. There have been worse backup halfbacks on the Packers, but just one worse Aaron.
6. Aaron Jones, RB (2017)
The newest Aaron to wear a Packers uniform should probably rank last, but his 125-yard performance against Dallas and two total touchdowns in relief of Ty Montgomery and Jamaal Williams hinted there are better days to come for this young Aaron-apparent.
5. Aaron Rouse, S (2007-09)
Though both his Packers and NFL careers were brief, Aaron Rouse wasn’t that bad. He had four career interceptions and a touchdown, all during his time with Green Bay. However, a certain segment of fans are more likely to remember Rouse for who he wasn’t instead of the passable backup safety he was. When the Raiders were shopping around Randy Moss prior to the 2007 season, Ted Thompson was unwilling to give up Green Bay’s third round pick to get the disgruntled veteran wideout. That third round selection wound up being Rouse and the Patriots send Oakland a fourth rounder and got 52 touchdowns out of Moss over the next three and a quarter seasons.
4. Aaron Taylor, G (1995-97)
Aaron Taylor wasn’t really anything special, but the guard was a starter on the Super Bowl XXXI and XXXII teams, so he gains some points there.
3. Aaron Ripkowski, FB (2015-17)
Maybe the scrappiest Aaron. Unless that honor goes to the next guy.
2. Aaron Kampman, DE/LB (2002-09)
Aaron Kampman was a force during his eight seasons with Green Bay. The D-end and linebacker hybrid tallied 54 total sacks with the Pack, along with four fumble recoveries and a Pro Bowl selection. Kampman would be a lock for best Aaron if not for…
1. Aaron Rodgers, QB (2005-17)
Duh.