"A-Rod is on a whole another level": When Sammy Watkins got real about Aaron Rodgers after leaving Patrick Mahomes

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Sammy Watkins has played alongside multiple NFL MVP winners, namely Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes. But when he joined the Green Bay Packers in 2022, he was slotted to receive passes from the veteran and future Hall-of-Famer, Aaron Rodgers.

Back in 2022, at the start of training camp, Watkins was called in for a one-year deal to fill in for Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. During the training session at the Packers camp, he was asked by his teammate, Randall Cobb, to compare Mahomes and Rodgers. However, the wideout responded confidently in favor of the four-time NFL MVP winner and said,

“I’ve been with both of ’em and I’m going to be honest. I think Pat is unbelievably good, but A-Rod is on a whole different level,”

When Larry McCarren of the Packers’ team website reminded the same to Watkins in August, the 31-year-old reiterated his opinion and said,

“He's amazing. How he controls the ball," Watkins said of Rodgers. "How he puts everyone in place. I've been with a lot of quarterbacks, and I've never seen them carry themselves like Aaron Rodgers.”

Before joining the Packers, Watkins spent three seasons with Patrick Mahomes, including a Super Bowl-winning season, and then a season with Lamar Jackson. He was a veteran with nine seasons under his belt. Hence, there was some credibility to Watkins’ assessment.

When Mahomes joined the NFL in 2018, fans and pundits alike had seen similarities between Rodgers and Mahomes. Among the generation of dual-threat quarterbacks, Mahomes relied more on his passing skills, accuracy, and ability to deliver under pressure. These were the traits that made Rodgers popular in his early days.

Aaron Rodgers comments on comparison between him and Patrick Mahomes

When Rodgers was asked about his comments on the assessment, he told USA Sports in 2018,

“I don't want to disrespect him with this, but I see a lot of my young self in him. He rolls around, runs around, makes plays. He has a big arm. He's talented. Plays with a great swagger. He's fun to watch.”

Although Rodgers' statement might have undersold Mahomes at the time, the Chiefs star QB has inched closer to Rodgers’ stature now. Mahomes already leads the Packers legend in many critical aspects of the game.

Currently, Patrick Mahomes is projected to finish closer to Tom Brady’s records, rather than Aaron Rodgers.