In the fast-paced world of sports analysis, pundits and commentators often make bold predictions. However, some statements have a way of haunting them forever. Back in 2016, Max Kellerman famously used the “fallen off a cliff” analogy for the iconic Tom Brady, only to witness the quarterback continue to defy expectations and win another Super Bowl. However, it seems history is repeating itself as Nick Wright recently resurrected those very words, this time aimed at none other than Aaron Rodgers.
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Rodgers, fresh off his move to the New York Jets, had a challenging last season with the Green Bay Packers. This led Nick Wright to question his place among the Tier-1 quarterbacks. While the quarterback landscape may be ever-changing, one thing is for sure – Aaron Rodgers is determined to silence the doubters and prove his worth as he starts a new chapter with the Jets.
Nick Wright’s Disagreement: Debating Aaron Rodgers’ Tier-I Status
Aaron Rodgers was named by The Athletic as a Tier-I quarterback with 30 Tier-one votes and 20 Tier-two votes. However, Nick Wright strongly disagrees with this classification and has a lot to say about it, using the exact ‘falling off the cliff’ analogy to prove his point. Aaron Rodgers moved from Green Bay Packers to New York Jets in April 2023. Nick went on to assert his take saying,
“Roger’s not a tier-one quarterback, and the cliff that so many folks, myself included, most famously talked about Brady falling off that, he never really fell off. I wonder if Rogers fell off it last year!”
Nick explained that it was actually Wilde who brought this point up and he thought it was a smart one. “Rogers at the end of last year when they went on that winning streak, he did not play better. His numbers actually were worse,” Nick convincingly mentioned his perspective. He further took the liberty of talking about each of Rodgers winning games last season and asserted that the opposing teams didn’t perform well themselves.
Nick Wright went on to highlight specific incidents to reinforce his argument, stating, “Rogers’ season ended at home when he couldn’t make the play in the NFC title game against Brady; he could have run, he didn’t, and they don’t get the ball back.” Firmly asserting his opinion, Nick concluded, “Rogers is not a top-four quarterback anymore, and he’s going.” He believes that Rodgers’ performance has declined and does not warrant a Tier-I ranking.
Decoding QB Tiers: Nick Analyzes the Anomalous Ranking System
Nick Wright expresses his strong dissatisfaction with the quarterback tier rankings and takes the time to delve into the logic. “I think these QB tiers are terrible, but I want to spend some significant time on this for a number of reasons,” says Nick, clearly indicating his frustration.
He goes on to explain the process by which these rankings are made per The Athletic and Mike Sando. “So, one of the best things The Athletic and Mike Sando do is they get 50 NFL people if you will. It includes 30 of the 50 league insiders, which are 10 head coaches, 15 coordinators, 10 executives, four quarterback coaches, and a handful of folks involved in coaching and analytics to rank the quarterbacks in the league by tier,” Nick elaborates.
In the Tier system, 30 veteran quarterbacks are divided into five tiers, reflecting their performance and capabilities, from the best (Tier 1) to the worst (Tier 5). The rankings are based on average votes, ensuring a precise assessment of each quarterback’s standing.
The criteria for Tier-One quarterbacks and the other classes have been described by The Athletic. Tier-One QBs are those who can single-handedly carry their team, although Nick feels differently about Rodgers at New York Jets and questioned whether he is part of that elite tier.
