The Pittsburgh Steelers are a less than two weeks away from starting training camp, and the new era in the Steele City is about to commence. Aaron Rodgers is taking his last few days of down time to enjoy some R&R out on the links.
Rogers giving a fan the business
During this week’s American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament the four-time NFL MVP stopped between holes to sign some autographs but not all autographs. There was a bit of a dust up during Thursday’s practice round with someone Rodgers called an “autograph hound.”
The fan wanted Rodgers to sign a game ticket from the Saints vs. Packers game in 2005. Rodgers wanted to make sure the autograph seeker was a real fan, and not just searching for a way to make a quick buck. He asked him a series of questions, which the fan responded. “Who’d we play?” The fan quipped back “Saints.” Rodgers than said “Yea good. It’s on the ticket.”
The fan then said he remembered the score of the game, which he said was 50-3. The score was actually 52-3. Then Rodgers got more detailed. “Did I play?” To which the fan contested, “one pass.” “How many plays though?” quizzed A-Rod. “Who’d I throw (the pass) it to?” continued Rodgers.
Rodgers “I’m not going to sign it”
By this time you could see where this was going and what Rodgers was thinking. As he continued to sign everyone elses merchandise, the questeions kept flowing. Then Rodgers ended the discussion with, “You could look it up though. Then I would believe you. Then I would sign your thing. Since I don’t believe you, I’m not going to sign it.”
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The game in question happened 20 years ago, and like the fan said, Rodgers did only throw one pass. It was late in the game after Brett Favre opened up a massive lead over the Saints. It was Rodgers’ rookie year, and it was one of the three games in which he participated. His one completion was one of six passes that he completed that season. He’d go on to complete a few more over the course of his Hall of Fame career.
Who knows why Rodgers didn’t feel like signing the autograph, but it was apparent that he was more than willing to sign everyone else’s stuff. Not many people in this world have signed more autographs than Rodgers so, like a blitz or a zone coverage, he probably knows how to pick out the real fans from ones that might just be trying to make a buck.
