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Another year, another "Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady" argument. With Patrick Mahomes struggling in Kansas City, the old guard is back to leading the MVP conversation. Stephen A. Smith, a show host who has plenty of experience arguing this topic with anyone who will listen, has arrived at his conclusion.
Stephen A. Smith chooses Aaron Rodgers as his NFL MVP for 2021
Speaking on First Take, Stephen A. Smith kept his analysis simple. He determined who deserved to be named NFL MVP by discussing which quarterback has had the most pick sixes this season.
"The quarterback matters because the quarterback is the one that takes you to the promised land. And when I think about a guy, like Aaron Rodgers, 30 touchdowns and four interceptions. You know, what? Tom Brady threw a pick six, and we were talking about how it was Tom Brady's third pick six this season."
Smith has a point. Pick sixes are the single worst thing a quarterback can do to their team. If a team is winning after a pick six, it is in spite of the quarterback. On the MVP spectrum, MVPs are on one side and quarterbacks who throw pick sixes are on the other.
Of course, if one plays football long enough, they are bound to throw some eventually. However, Aaron Rodgers' record on pick sixes is almost nonexistent when compared to Brady's. Stephen A. Smith outlines this clearly.
"Do you know how many pick sixes Aaron Rodgers has thrown? Three in his entire career. I'm sorry, but stop it. In his entire career! Let's stop acting like what we're seeing from Aaron Rodgers is not very, very special."
When it comes to MVP conversations, one test is quite helpful in narrowing down the options. If a player is taken off their team, what does the team have left? In the case of Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady, it is clear.
If one takes out Aaron Rodgers, the team has one of the best wide receivers in pro football in Davante Adams and a solid running back duo in Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon. Defensively, the Packers have an average defense with Jaire Alexander and Kenny Clark. However, Jaire Alexander has been hurt for most of the season and Mason Crosby has missed 30 percent of his kicks.
Without Aaron Rodgers, the Packers would be a shell of themselves, as was proven with Jordan Love earlier this season.
Meanwhile, Tom Brady has had Leonard Fournette, Ronald Jones, Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, Antonio Brown, Rob Gronkowski, and OJ Howard. Defensively, the Buccaneers have Ndamukong Suh, Vita Vea, Jason Pierre Paul, Shaquil Barrett, and others.
Without Brady, there are enough pieces to put together a watchable season. With this test, it is clear that Brady elevates his team much less than Rodgers elevates his own. With this evaluation, Rodgers is more valuable than Brady and, therefore, more deserving of the MVP award.
