A look back at Aaron Rodgers' greatest Packers moments after trade to Jets

After 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers – 15 as the team's starting quarterback – Aaron Rodgers has been traded to the New York Jets.

It's an eerie career parallel with Rodgers' predecessor, Brett Favre, who also was traded to the Jets, thus setting the stage for one of the game's greatest-ever quarterbacks.

Rodgers leaves Green Bay with an impressive collection of career accolades: He's a four-time NFL MVP, 10-time Pro Bowl selection, and member of the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 2010s.

While Rodgers only won one Super Bowl with the Packers, he does boast many epic moments. These are the best of those moments:

11. Packers rescue Rodgers from green room in 2005 draft

Date: April 23, 2005

Rodgers' tenure with the Packers started in the most humbling way ... he was the last player remaining in the green room at the draft. Projected as one of the top picks, Rodgers dropped after his hometown San Francisco 49ers selected Utah quarterback Alex Smith with the No. 1 overall selection. For more than four hours, Rodgers sat in the green room as TV cameras captured his humiliation for a national audience. Finally, with the No. 24 overall pick, the Packers rescued Rodgers. The Packers' selection of Rodgers was a no-brainer. By early 2005, then-quarterback Brett Favre already had hinted at retirement. Rodgers would be the heir apparent, but it would take three years before earning the starting job.

10. Rodgers breaks Favre's TD record

Date: Dec. 25, 2021

Game: Week 16, Packers vs. Cleveland Browns

In the first quarter of a 24-22 win over the Browns on Christmas Day at legendary Lambeau Field, Rodgers connected with Allen Lazard for an 11-yard scoring play that gave Rodgers his 443rd career touchdown pass. That broke the franchise record previously held by Favre, who had 508 career touchdown passes but 442 with the Packers.

9. Rodgers wins fourth MVP award

Date: Feb. 10, 2022

At the 11th annual NFL Honors ceremony, Rodgers won his fourth MVP award (2011, 2014, 2020, 2021), which is the second-most in NFL history behind Peyton Manning's five. Rodgers also broke a tie at three MVP awards with Tom Brady, Jim Brown, Brett Favre and Johnny Unitas. In 2021, Rodgers threw for 4,115 yards; his 10th season throwing for 4,000 or more yards. He had 37 touchdown passes; his eighth season with 30 or more touchdown passes. Probably most impressive was that he threw just four interceptions in 531 attempts.

8. Rodgers 'owns' the Bears

Date: Oct. 17, 2021

Game: Week 6, Packers vs. Chicago Bears

Thanks in large part to the Favre-Rodgers quarterbacking lineage, the Packers have dominated their ancient rivals for nearly a quarter century. When Favre arrived in Green Bay in 1992, the Bears held a seemingly impossible-to-overcome 24-win edge over the Packers in the NFL's most-storied rivalry. The Packers now own a 105-95-6 edge, with Rodgers winning his last eight against Chicago. That dominance had a viral moment during the 2021 season, when Rodgers taunted Bears fans at Soldier Field by yelling "I still own you!" in a 24-14 win. In Rodgers' final game against the Bears on Dec. 4, 2022, the two teams entered the contest tied for the most all-time wins at 786. With a 28-19 win, the Packers wrestled the all-time wins record away from the Bears, who had held the record since 1921. Rodgers finished his Packers career by going 25-5 in starts (including postseason) against the Bears.

7. Rodgers pulls off the improbable in playoff game vs. Cardinals

Date: Jan. 16, 2016

Game: 2015 NFC divisional playoff, Packers vs. Arizona Cardinals

In a thrilling playoff game in Arizona, the Packers were down 20-13 with 50 seconds remaining and facing a fourth-and-20 situation. Rodgers pulled off the first of a series of improbable plays en route to tying the game and forcing overtime. Rodgers connected with Jeff Janis for a 60-yard play. With 4 seconds remaining, Rodgers and Janis connected again, this time for a 41-yard Hail Mary touchdown that forced overtime. It took the Cardinals just three plays to win the game, however. First, Larry Fitzgerald hauled in a Carson Palmer pass and ran to the Packers' 5-yard line for a 75-yard gain. After an incomplete pass to Fitzgerald, Palmer flipped a pass to Fitzgerald, who ran into the end zone to secure the wild win.

6. The 'Miracle in Motown'

Date: Dec. 2, 2015

Game: Week 13, Packers vs. Detroit Lions

Down 23-21 at their own 39-yard line with no time remaining, the Packers pulled off an improbable win on "Thursday Night Football." Rodgers rolled right and unfurled a Hail Mary to the end zone, where Richard Rodgers came down with the winning catch in a 27-23 victory. The Packers had overcome a 20-point second-half deficit in the win. One of the most interesting historical footnotes about the play was Richard Rodgers' involvement. It's important to note that Richard Rodgers' father — Richard Rodgers — was a part of the famous Cal-Stanford play. Richard Rodgers (the father) tossed two of the five laterals during the impossible dream of a play pulled off by Cal in 1982.

5. Rodgers' clutch pass dooms Dallas in playoff game

Date: Jan. 15, 2017

Game: NFC divisional playoff, Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys

Once up 21-3 on the Cowboys, the Packers had seen their lead evaporate but had possession with the game tied at 31 and 30-plus seconds remaining. The Packers did gain 17 yards on a pass to Ty Montgomery, but lost 10 yards on a sack. The Packers faced a third-and-20 situation from their own 32-yard line with 12 seconds remaining. Rodgers rolled out to his left and heaved a pass down the sideline to Jared Cook, who was able to simultaneously haul in the football and drag his toes for a completion. The 35-yard gain put the ball on the Cowboys' 33-yard line, and kicker Mason Crosby booted the 51-yard field goal as time expired for the spectacular win. After seemingly spending their life-force earning this win, the Packers were routed in the NFC championship game by the Atlanta Falcons, who famously went on to blow a 28-3 lead against the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.

4. Packers win NFC North with epic final play vs. Bears

Date: Dec. 29, 2013

Game: Week 17, Packers vs. Chicago Bears

The Packers (7-7-1) and Bears (8-7) met in a de facto NFC North championship game at Soldier Field, and it came down to completing three fourth-down plays in the final minute to pull off a dramatic victory. Facing a fourth-and-8 from the Bears' 48-yard line, Rodgers connected with Randall Cobb for a game-winning touchdown that clinched the division title.

3. Rodgers impressive in relief of Favre

Date: Nov. 29, 2007

Game: Week 13, Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys

In a huge "Thursday Night Football" showdown between the 10-1 Packers and 10-1 Cowboys at Texas Stadium, starter Brett Favre injured his throwing arm in the second quarter and Rodgers was pressed into action with the NFC's best record on the line. Rodgers entered the game with the Packers down 27-10 and despite a 37-27 defeat, Rodgers was impressive coming off the bench. Rodgers threw his first career touchdown pass (to Greg Jennings) and finished the game completing 18 of 26 passes for 201 yards. It was this performance that assured the Packers and their fans that Rodgers could actually be a suitable follow-up to Favre. During the 2008 offseason, a messy divorce between the Packers and Favre resulted in a trade of the team legend to the New York Jets.

2. Breakthrough performance vs. Falcons in 2010 playoffs

Date: Jan. 15, 2011

Game: 2010 NFC divisional playoffs, Packers vs. Atlanta Falcons

A week after collecting his first NFL postseason victory — a 21-16 triumph over the Philadelphia Eagles — Rodgers had a breakthrough performance in a playoff game for the ages. Rodgers threw for three touchdowns and ran for another as the Packers routed the NFC's top seed, 48-21, in the highest-scoring playoff game in Packers history. The Packers would win three road playoff games — including defeating the rival Chicago Bears in the NFC championship game — to reach Super Bowl 45.

1. Packers win Super Bowl 45, Rodgers is game MVP

Date: Feb. 6, 2011

Game: Super Bowl 45, Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

In a clash of two of the NFL's flagship franchises, the Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-25. Rodgers completed 24 of 39 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns, and earned game MVP honors. This Super Bowl win came in just Rodgers' third season as a full-time starter. At 27 years old with a long and successful career seemingly ahead of him, this Super Bowl seemed like it could be the first of multiple titles won by Rodgers. Instead, the next decade-plus would feature an agonizing series of postseason disappointments.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Aaron Rodgers' greatest moments from 18 years with Green Bay Packers