Packers legend LeRoy Butler breaks down Aaron Rodgers' brilliance

Former Green Bay Packers defensive back LeRoy Butler broke down quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ heroics in the final :37 seconds to set up a game-winning field goal to beat the San Fransisco 49ers 30-28.

Down by one point with :37 seconds and no timeouts, Rodgers found Davante Adams across the middle of the field for a 25-yard completion to bring the Packers to midfield. Butler broke down just how tough of a throw Rodgers had to make.

“Aaron knows a particular spot, the two hash marks, is where he wants to throw the ball,” Butler said. “There’s the window. Aaron has two windows. To Aaron, this is the net drill. But he has to throw it with a different trajectory. He’s got to throw what we call a teardrop right over 54 (49ers linebacker Fred Warner). 54’s one of their best athletes….The reason you want to throw it at that trajectory, just in case Davante catches it you want to protect himself if a guy’s coming to hit him.”

After the completion, Rodgers spiked the ball to stop the clock, and found Adams again on third down to bring the Packers to the 49ers’ 33-yard line and set up the game-winning field goal by Mason Crosby.

After a disappointing seasoning opening performance first weeks of the season, Aaron Rodgers returned to MVP form in the last two weeks. In the win against the 49ers, he completed 23 of 33 passes for 261 yards and two touchdowns, hitting seven different receivers over the course of the game.

One throw of Aaron Rodgers’ in particular that Butler noted was a 12-yard touchdown pass to Marques Valdez-Scantling early in the fourth quarter.

“Aaron’s probably thinking ‘this guy’s trying to bait me so let me throw it to the back pylon that way worse case I throw it out of bounds, best case I throw a perfect pass,'” Butler said.

Rodgers hit Valdez-Scantling on an out route in the end zone over the hand of rookie cornerback Deommodre Lenoir to put the Packers up 24-21 early in the fourth quarter.

After starting the season with a 133 yard and two interception performance in an embarrassing 38-3 loss to the New Orleans Saints, it appears Aaron Rodgers has returned to the level of play that saw him win MVP in 2020.

LeRoy Butler starred for the Green Bay Packers from 1990-2001. In his career, he won a Super Bowl, made four Pro Bowls and earned four First-team All-Pro honors. Butler recorded 889 tackles, 38 interceptions, 20.5 sacks and 13 forced fumbles in his career.