Even in Retirement, Aaron Rodgers’ Oldest Rival Admits He Was a ‘Pain in the Ass’

For two decades, Brian Urlacher made quarterbacks miserable. The Hall of Fame linebacker built a career on bone-rattling hits and sideline-to-sideline pursuit. But when it came to Aaron Rodgers, Urlacher admits he was often the one left frustrated.

With Rodgers now set to retire after the 2026 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Urlacher didn’t hold back in a recent interview about what it was like facing the future Hall of Famer twice a year for nearly his entire run with the Green Bay Packers.

“It’s Aaron (Rodgers), because we played him twice a year. I played Peyton maybe two or three times, I think Tom (Brady) as well. Aaron was the biggest pain in the a**,” Urlacher told DJ Siddiqi of R.org.

The numbers back up Urlacher’s respect laced with frustration. Rodgers went 24-5 against the Chicago Bears during his Packers tenure, a stretch that completely flipped the historic rivalry. Before Rodgers took over in Green Bay, Urlacher’s Bears had held their own. After Rodgers arrived, the dominance shifted decisively.

What Made Rodgers So Tough

Urlacher pointed to Rodgers’ unique mobility and decision-making as the traits that separated him from other elite quarterbacks he faced, including Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.

“When he started playing for them is when they really started turning the tables on that rivalry. We did OK my first six or seven years, and I think we were above .500. When Aaron took over is when they really started to dominate that series versus the Bears. That was because of him.”

The Bears legend also highlighted the one stat that has defined Rodgers’ career more than any other: his league-record 1.4% interception rate. That efficiency, combined with his ability to extend plays, forced defenses to pick their poison.

“We just ran Cover 2, pretty much. We figured out early on that if we ran Cover 2, we might give up three yards rushing the ball, but he wasn’t going to make big plays against us,” Urlacher explained. “So, if they were patient, we would be patient too. And it worked out sometimes. Sometimes it didn’t.”

Farewell Season Looms

Urlacher believes Rodgers will enter his final season with one clear goal in mind. “He’s probably thinking Super Bowl or bust,” Urlacher said.

The Bears won’t face the Steelers during the regular season this year, meaning the only way Chicago fans will get one last shot at their longtime tormentor is if both teams make it to Super Bowl 61. For a rivalry that produced some of the NFL’s most memorable moments, that would be a fitting finale.