Tom Brady uses Aaron Rodgers as motivation to be better

Michael Dwyer | AP Photo

When the Green Bay Packers travel to face the New England Patriots this coming Sunday, it will be just the second time that quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady have faced each other since becoming starters.

The last time the two of them met was a 2014 game in which the Packers pulled away with a 26-21 victory. Green Bay did travel to New England in 2010, but Rodgers was injured.

With Sunday’s rare matchup in mind, Patriots quarterback, Tom Brady, had a lot of kind words for his opposition.

“I think it’s inspiring,” Brady said during his weekly interview on WEEI sports radio. “I watch (Rodgers’) game and it makes me want to get out there and practice and improve, because I think he’s so phenomenal with how he manages himself in the pocket. His ability to throw the football is unlike anyone in probably the history of the league. It’s pretty awesome to watch.”

Although they rarely meet on the field, Brady says that he and Rodgers have been longtime friends and have Bay Area roots in common.

Knowing Rodgers’ talents and the skillset that Green Bay brings to the table, Brady is looking forward to the challenge.

“It’s going to be a big challenge for our defense. We’re going to try to make it hard on their defense, and we’ll see how it shakes out. We’ve had a lot of close games this year, and I’m sure this one will come down to the wire.”

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