3 times superstar NFL QBs refused to mentor their successors ft. Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers
Ryan Tannehill caused quite the stir recently in the NFL because of his comments on being a mentor. The Tennessee Titans drafted quarterback Malik Willis in the third round, and Tannehill recently said it's not his job to mentor the young player.
Of course, this is quite a controversial statement. However, this is not the first time something like this has happened in the NFL. In fact, it is a common occurrence and makes sense in the uber-competitive league.
Let's look at three ocassions when a NFL QB refused to be a mentor to a young signal-caller.
#3 - Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo
The New England Patriots made the somewhat shocking move to use a second-round pick on Jimmy Garoppolo in 2014. The move looks even more bizarre in hindsight.
Yet, Bill Belichick made the call and as expected, Tom Brady did not suddenly assume a mentorship role. Reports stated that Brady was not of much help in terms of being a true mentor. Instead, Garoppolo had to pick his brain as a teammate, which is fair as well.
The relationship lasted through to the 2017 NFL season, when Garoppolo was traded to the San Francisco 49ers. Even if Brady was not a mentor, the relationship paid off as the 49ers handed Garoppolo a $137.5 million deal after limited action on the field.
#2 - Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers
The Green Bay Packers made a bold choice to draft Aaron Rodgers with a first-round pick in 2005. This came when Brett Favre was winding down his career, but still not at the end of it.
As we now know, it took Rodgers three years before he started a game. The relationship was notoriously rocky as Favre did not want to give up his job, as no one does in his position.
Favre then retired in 2008, only to say he wanted to return when it was Rodgers' turn to start. This led to even more friction and the result was Favre being traded to the New York Jets. The two have, as of late, patched up their relationship.
#1 - Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love
The most recent example involves Aaron Rodgers again, just on the other side of the equation. Just like what happened with Favre, the Packers used a first-round pick on Jordan Love in 2020. Thus, a successor was in place.
Rodgers was openly unhappy and proceeded to win back-to-back MVP awards. He also signed a $150 million extension that leaves Love in limbo entering the 2022 season.
Rodgers' NFL journey is ongoing, and even though he was not openly a mentor, he seems to have handled the situation much better than his predecessor.
Also Checkout: Tom Brady Contract
Also Checkout: Tom Brady Super Bowl Wins