Aaron Rodgers reflects on tying Dan Marino on touchdown list

Aaron Rodgers made NFL history in the second half of Sunday’s victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, as the Green Bay Packers quarterback threw a one-yard touchdown pass to Randall Cobb and etched his name into record books.

With the touchdown to Cobb, Rodgers did more than just take a 27-10 lead, which ended up being the game’s final score; Rodgers also tied Dan Marino on the NFL all-time passing touchdowns list, as he officially threw No. 420.

“It means I’ve been playing for a long time,” Rodgers said postgame to CBS Sports’ Tracy Wolfson, when xasked what the record meant to him. “Obviously, I loved watching Dan Marino growing up. I was a 49ers fan, so I was watching Joe [Montana] and Steve [Young], but I remember in the Metrodome, when [Brett] Farve threw 421, and just how special that was to be there on that day because I was thinking, ‘Hey, that’s so many damn touchdowns.’ To be in that category now, like I said, it means I’ve been playing a long time, but I’m very honored to share a line with Dan Marino.”

Perhaps it meant even more to Rodgers that he was able to reach 420 passing touchdowns by connecting with Randall Cobb for six, the first time the duo has done so since Dec. 9, 2018. Cobb started his NFL career with the Packers in 2011, after he was selected out of Kentucky in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft, and became one of Rodgers’ favorite targets until his departure in 2018. In nine seasons with the Packers, Cobb tallied 479 receptions for 5,651 receiving yards, 43 touchdowns and 353 rushing yards.

When Rodgers held out from Packers preseason activity this past offseason, one of his requests was that the Packers bring back Cobb from the Houston Texans, where he spent last season.

“I did,” Rodgers said with a smile, when asked if that performance is why he wanted Cobb in Green Bay. “It’s different when you have a guy that knows how to play slot receiver. Davante can do it all. He can play at any position and he’s an All-Pro, but being able to keep him outside and let him do what he does on the outside and let Cobb work in the middle is the reason why I was really happy we got [Cobb back]. He’s the best guy and nobody’s happier than probably me and his wife.”

Rodgers connected with Cobb five times, and Cobb tallied 69 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. Cobb’s two-touchdown performance was the first time the 31-year-old finished a game with multiple touchdown receptions since Sept. 28, 2015, when he had three against the Chiefs.

Rodgers finished his record-breaking day with 20 completions on 36 passing attempts, along with two passing touchdowns and no interceptions.

“[The Steelers have] got some big time players, and I feel like we ran the ball effectively,” Rodgers said. “I’m a little disappointed with the way we finished the game. The second half, I missed some easy throws and I’m disappointed about that. But I love the way we battled up front, it’s a young group of guys that I’ve got in front of me, and they played really well.”