"He doesn't have the skill set": When HOF'er Cris Carter gave his take on whether Aaron Rodgers was better than Tom Brady
When Peyton Manning retired in 2016, Tom Brady found a new rival in Aaron Rodgers. The veteran quarterback from the Green Bay Packers was also a Super Bowl winner and multi-time NFL MVP, much like Brady. Thus, the debate was on if Aaron Rodgers was better than Tom Brady.
Joining in the discussion was Hall of Famer Cris Carter, who shared his opinion on the same on ‘Speak for Yourself’ show in January 2017. He said,
“Now you could make a case and you say, 'Okay, I put Aaron Rodgers on any team you get the same results or better.' Yes, because you can't put Tom Brady on Green Bay and have them do all do things offensively with the mechanics the way they do it because he doesn't have the skill set to buy time like Aaron does."
"But Tom Brady in New England is the most accomplished quarterback that we have ever seen, and by the time he's done, I believe he will be the most accomplished. I'm not saying he is the greatest quarterback ever because that doesn't really matter. It's about which quarterback accomplished the most.”
Although Carter didn’t answer the question directly, he emphasized scenarios where one quarterback was better than the other. According to Carter, Aaron Rodgers would deliver a similar performance regardless of which team he plays for, while, Brady might struggle if he ever moves out of Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots.
Carter’s opinions were supported by his fellow colleagues who also shared a similar opinion on the Packers' greatness. Colin Cowherd felt that Rodgers is a lot more talented than Tom Brady but Brady’s discipline places him above everyone else.
Cris Carter's assessment fails after Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers adopt new teams
Carter’s assessment has proven inaccurate. Brady left the Patriots in 2021 after his infamous ego clash with Bill Belichick. However, he won his seventh career Super Bowl and first with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, immediately after joining them.
On the other hand, Aaron Rodgers joined the New York Jets in 2023 after leaving the Packers. Although he missed most of his first season in New York due to injury, his performance in the 2024 season was forgettable.