As Aaron Rodgers has quarterbacked the Green Bay Packers to a second consecutive NFC North title and the doorstep of the NFC's top seed, he's looked to be every bit in prime form, though it's long been remarked his prime is behind him.
At 37-years-old, Rodgers is the frontrunner for AP Most Valuable Player and is in position to surpass perhaps the greatest season of his career.
Rodgers has an NFL-leading 44 touchdowns passes this season, which is just one away from the Packers' single-season record set by Rodgers in 2011 when he threw 45 – and was voted most valuable player. Â
Rodgers is two touchdown passes away from continuing a trend of quarterbacks setting new franchise single-season records this year.
So far, four star NFL quarterbacks have set new franchise single-season records in 2020 and Rodgers is primed to be the fifth.
The latest was Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen on the Monday Night Football finale, besting Jim Kelly's season-season mark.
In his first year with the franchise, Tom Brady set a new Tampa Bay Buccaneers standard in Week 16, breaking Jameis Winston's record set just a season ago.
Russell Wilson broke his own Seahawks record of 35 TDs in 2018 with his four-score showing in Week 14 against the Jets.
And lost in a season of struggles, Deshaun Watson's 30 touchdown passes are a new Houston Texans record, breaking the 2009 mark of 29 set by Matt Schaub. Watson surpassed Schaub in the Texans' Week 16 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Rodgers is poised to set a new Titletown best on Sunday against the Chicago Bears, who he's gone 19-5 against in the regular season with 51 touchdowns – an average of 2.125 per game.
Should Rodgers set a new Packers single-season standard it would be the fifth record-setting performance of the season, which would be the most since 1998, per NFL Research. Excluding expansion teams, the most in any season would be seven, which was done in 1980 and 1963.
Rodgers is likely to be the only record-setter on Sunday.
Ben Roethlisberger's 33 touchdown passes this season are just one away from his Pittsburgh Steelers-record mark of 34 in 2018. But it's already been announced Roethlisberger won't play against the Cleveland Browns as the Steelers have locked up the AFC North.
Others within the area code of franchise records are Ryan Tannehill, whose 32 touchdowns trail Hall of Famer George Blanda's 36 in 1961 that stands as the Titans/Houston Oilers franchise best. And AP Offensive Rookie of the Year frontrunner Justin Herbert's rookie record 28 TD tosses are six away from Philip Rivers' 2008 franchise-record 34.
While it would take a rather astounding outing for Tannehill or Herbert to set single-single season records, Rodgers continuing along with his outstanding 2020 should put him past his 2011 self.
