General Manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy have a lot of soul searching to do following a 6-10 season, but theres at least one move they made in 2008 that needs no apology.
The Green Bay Packers controversial decision to go with Aaron Rodgers as their starting quarterback over Brett Favre was not only gutsy in the face of a firestorm of fan protest, but absolutely the right choice.
The verdict has been handed down, and it wasnt even close.
Rodgers, 25, has proven himself as more than just a capable starting NFL quarterback, ranking among the top 10 in the league in several key categories.
The 39-year-old Favre, meanwhile, looked washed up as the season wore on and led the league in interceptions.
Theres no question Rodgers has much to prove, and his inability to lead the Packers to a victory in eight games decided late in the fourth quarter this season will be held against him. But any objective observer knows the Packers suffered from some glaring flaws, and Rodgers wasnt one of them.
Rodgers posted eye-popping numbers for a first-year starter. He ranked fourth in the NFL in passing yards (4,038), fourth in touchdown passes (28) and sixth in quarterback rating (93.8). He battled through a shoulder injury and played all 16 games, added a new dimension to the offense with his running ability, and displayed mental toughness in dealing with the pressure of replacing Favre.
Rodgers is intelligent, possesses the right mix of confidence and humility, and by every account is admired as a teammate. It would have been a travesty if someone as good as Rodgers spent a fourth consecutive season on the bench. Rodgers deserved to be an NFL starter, and he proved it on the field.
Thompson and McCarthy recognized Rodgers potential and should be praised for finding and developing such a talented quarterback to follow the legendary Favre. Instead, ardent Favre supporters who are clinging to yesterdays headlines have unfairly ridiculed them.
This season proved beyond a doubt that Favre violated his own motto, verbalized often in recent years, about not wanting to hang around too long. He joins a long list of professional sports stars that overstayed their welcome. His wretched performance over the final five games, in which he threw two touchdown passes and nine interceptions, was a sad spectacle.
It brought back painful memories of Johnny Unitas and Joe Namath ending their quarterback careers wearing strange uniforms and looking like shadows of their former selves.
Anyone attempting to trot out the injury excuse Favre reportedly tore the biceps tendon in his right arm must explain why he didnt take himself out of any games if he wasnt physically able to perform.
To further add to Favres woes, some of his Jets teammates arent exactly rushing to his defense. Running back Thomas Jones told Newsday this week that Favre should have been benched during a three-interception debacle in the season finale against the Miami Dolphins.
According to FoxSports.com, Favre reportedly spent a lot of time during the season in a private office near the equipment room rather than in the locker room.
That is strikingly similar to the situation in Green Bay during his final years here. Is it any wonder Thompson and McCarthy were ready to move forward? No player, even someone with Favres resume, should be greater than the team.
Thompsons biggest mistake in handling the messy Favre divorce last summer was that he allowed it to drag into training camp, incorrectly assuming Favre would stay retired.
As it turned out, Thompson was right to trade Favre instead of letting him battle for the starting job with Rodgers, who was the better quarterback this season and would have beaten Favre out.
Anyone who remembers aging Hall of Famer Ray Nitschke getting benched by the Packers in the early 1970s knows how ugly that was. The benching of Favre in Green Bay would have been far more divisive than seeing him play in a Jets uniform.
Choosing Rodgers over Favre couldnt have been easy, considering all Favre has meant to the Packers organization during a terrific 16-year career, but its something Thompson and McCarthy knew in their hearts had to be done.
When I asked McCarthy at his season-ending press conference on Wednesday about that decision, he didnt hesitate with a response.
Yes, I think we definitely made the right move at the quarterback position, McCarthy said.
The notion that Favre would have somehow elevated the Packers to a better record and perhaps a playoff berth is wishful thinking. This Packers season was doomed primarily by a downtrodden defense and shaky special teams play. Favres presence wouldnt have changed those shortcomings.
Twice Rodgers led the offense into field goal range for potential game-winning kicks in the fourth quarter, but Mason Crosby failed to deliver against Minnesota and Chicago.
Twice more the Rodgers-led offense gave the Packers late fourth-quarter leads, but the defense couldnt close the deal in losses to Carolina and Jacksonville.
As for the Favre mystique and leadership ability, thats overrated in the advanced stage of his career. If he couldnt will the Jets to victories in must-win situations against weak opponents like Seattle, San Francisco or Denver in the final month, what makes anyone believe he could have done it for the Packers?
There is no debate the Packers endured a miserable season, but their quarterback wasnt the problem. Rodgers gained a valuable year of experience and gives the Packers a top-flight talent for years to come at the most important position.
The time has come for those blinded by the brilliant light of Favres career in Green Bay to let go of the past and move on.