The Green Bay Packers have a lot to play for in terms of the postseason to end 2024, but two former franchise greats are chasing NFL milestones over the final two games of the season.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and receiver Davante Adams — now with the New York Jets — can hit special marks to finish 2024.
The Jets, who are 4-11 and eliminated from postseason contention, end the season with a road game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday and a home game against the Miami Dolphins next Sunday.
Rodgers has 499 career touchdown passes and is one away from becoming the fifth quarterback in NFL history to 500 touchdown passes. Rodgers, a future Pro Football Hall of Famer, threw 475 of his career touchdown passes with the Packers.
QBs with 500 career TD passes
1. Tom Brady, 649
2. Drew Brees, 571
3. Peyton Manning, 539
4. Brett Favre, 508
Per the NFL, Rodgers can join Manning as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to throw 500 touchdown passes in under 250 career games. Sunday against the Buffalo Bills will be Rodgers’ 247th career game. Manning needed 244.
Rodgers and Adams are also approaching history as a TD-creating duo. The two are entering Week 17 with 82 career touchdown connections, including the postseason, which is tied for the third most in NFL history. With one more, Rodgers and Adams will pass Dan Marino and Mark Clayton for third place all-time behind only Manning and Marvin Harrison (114) and Steve Young and Jerry Rice (92).
QB-WR touchdowns, including postseason
1. Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison: 114
2. Steve Young and Jerry Rice: 92
3. Dan Marino and Mark Clayton: 82
3. Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams: 82
5. Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown: 78
Rodgers and Adams produced 76 of their 82 touchdown connections while with the Packers between 2014 and 2021.
Adams, a second-round pick of the Packers in 2014, recently caught his 100th career touchdown pass, becoming the 12th player in NFL history with 100 or more touchdown catches. He currently ranks 10th all-time with 102 touchdown catches, trailing only Mike Evans (103) among active players.
Now 41, Rodgers has thrown 24 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions over 15 starts this season. Adams has 56 catches for 719 yards and six touchdowns in nine games since being traded from the Las Vegas Raiders to the Jets.
Both Rodgers and Adams face uncertain futures together in New York post-2024. Rodgers is still determining whether he wants to keep playing in 2025, while both Rodgers and Adams have unsavory and likely untenable cap hits for a team likely to hire a new general manager and head coach after a disastrous 2024 season.
