Green Bay ends Aaron's agony

NEW YORK -- Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers could have gone out for a nice lunch, walked over a few blocks and caught a Broadway matinee and still had time to return to the draft before the Packers called him on his cell phone and ended his agony by designating him the successor to Brett Favre.

Instead, he sat backstage watching the teams, the hours and the money slip on by. "I just think you hope for the best and prepare for the worst," Rodgers said. "I want to go to a place that wants me and they definitely do."

One week ago, Rodgers was expected to be the first overall pick by his hometown 49ers and try to add to the tradition established by his idol, Joe Montana. But when the draft opened at 12:10 p.m. on Saturday, Rodgers already knew the Niners had decided to take Utah quarterback Alex Smith.

It took 23 more picks and four hours and 35 minutes before the Packers handed their card to Paul Tagliabue with Rodgers' name on it. His drop was the most compelling in draft history. Never has a player projected to go first fallen so far. "We were joking around (Friday) about putting some money in the pool to see who the last guy would be in the green room, but it's not so funny when you're the last one," Rodgers said.

Rodgers handled himself admirably and with class. When he finally came on stage, the fans at the Javits Center gave him a standing ovation and serenaded him with a chant of, "Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Rodgers."

He wound up in a great situation, with speculation Favre could retire after this season. "I'm excited about going to Green Bay and being able to learn from the greatest quarterback in the league right now and probably a first-ballot Hall of Famer," Rodgers said.

So, what happened?

Once the 49ers passed on Rodgers, there was no safety net. The Dolphins at No. 2, Browns at No. 3 and Bucs at No. 5 were all interested in Smith, but not Rodgers. Bucs coach Jon Gruden did speak to Rodgers on Thursday, but by the next day, Rodgers knew the Bucs were not going to take him. Miami went for RB Ronnie Brown, the Browns took WR Braylon Edwards and the Bucs went for RB Cadillac Williams. The Titans (No. 6), and the Cardinals (No. 8) passed. Then Rodgers was in a full free-fall.

"I just think there was only one team that was really going to take a quarterback and that was San Francisco," one GM said. "We gave him a late first-round grade. Our guys thought he was a second- round ability guy. Tampa spent a lot of time studying those two guys to see if that was something they wanted to do. San Francisco probably just used the kid."

The drop cost Rodgers millions. Last year, Eli Manning, the first pick, got a six-year, $45 million contract from the Giants that included $20 million guaranteed. By comparison, quarterback J.P. Losman, picked No. 22 by the Bills, signed a five-year $7.7 million deal that included $5.6 million guaranteed. Just in guaranteed money, Rodgers lost about $14 million.

"It doesn't change his life at all," said Rodgers' agent, Mike Sullivan. "It affects his portfolio, which he's not going to spend 10 seconds thinking about for the next several years."

The knocks on Rodgers: Too short (6-2), too cocky, too mechanical and he played for Jeff Tedford, whose previous first-round QBs hardly have lit up the NFL: Trent Dilfer, Akili Smith, David Carr, Joey Harrington and Kyle Boller.

Eventually, there will be pressure replacing Favre. But not right away.

"Pressure, following Brett Favre?" Rodgers joked. "Steve Young won a Super Bowl following my idol, Joe Montana."

If the NFL knew Rodgers would last until No. 24, they clearly would not have had him at the draft. Previous long waits for draft invitees: In 1992, RB Vaughn Dunbar lasted until No. 21 (Saints) and in '96, RB Leeland McElroy didn't go until the second pick in the second round (Cards).

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