Aaron Rodgers: Young QBs Like Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles Should Sit

Aaron Rodgers knows a thing or two about breaking into the NFL at quarterback. So when it comes to first year draft picks like Johnny Manziel and Blake Bortles, Rodgers advice adheres to his own path to NFL greatness: Patience is a virtue.

In an article on Sportsonearth.com, Rodgers lauds the Jaguars’ plans to sit top draft pick Blake Bortles behind veteran starter Chad Henne instead of rushing the rookie QB onto the field his first year. He tells writer Dan Pompeii:

“Some of these guys who are going to bad teams are expected to play well right away. It’s hard to do that. I’ve seen a couple guys able to do it. [Ben] Roethlisberger was able to do it. He had a team kind of around him. [Joe] Flacco had some success early but he had a team kind of in place. You go to a place that has some pieces and you can have some success early. But if you go to a team that doesn’t have the pieces… it can really mess with your confidence.”

One team that falls into this category is the Cleveland Browns. Under intense pressure from their excitement starved fan base, the team may not have much of a choice when it comes to starting Johnny Manziel rather than have him sit him for a year. The fact that Johnny Football doesn’t have a veteran of Henne’s level to challenge nor mentor him the way Bortles does is also a factor.

Rodgers infamously sat for multiple seasons behind Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Farve before finally seeing action after Farve was traded to the New York Jets in 2008. And while it would have been easy to grow impatient, Aaron credits his time behind Brett as the reason he has thrived since then:

“I learned a lot in those years, how to attack quickly and play slowly. It was the best thing to happen to me.”

Rodgers meanwhile has recently been making headlines for his off-the-field activity as well. As reported by Inquistr, Rodgers has come out to the public regarding his relationship with Newsroom star Olivia Munn. In an interview with ESPN Milwaukee, Rodgers described himself as “very happy” with girlfriend Olivia Munn regardless of the public scrutiny surrounding the pair.

And as for his playing career, Rodgers recently tweeted out to his followers that he expects to be playing for at least another nine years.

9 years ago the G & G took a chance on a 21 year old kid from Cali. It’s been an amazing run, looking forward to more memories. #9in9togo

— Aaron Rodgers (@AaronRodgers12) April 23, 2014

What do you think? Should young quarterbacks like Johnny Manziel and Blake Bortles start right away or sit patient like Aaron Rodgers had to do?