Skip to content

Ex-49ers coach explains why he passed on Aaron Rodgers in 2005 draft

Associated Press

Aaron Rodgers' 2005 draft slide has become one of the more memorable moments in an NFL draft, and one of the most fortunate for the Green Bay Packers.

The team that made that slide possible was the San Francisco 49ers, who infamously selected Utah quarterback Alex Smith first overall.

Former 49ers head coach Mike Nolan appeared on NFL Network on Tuesday, and offered an explanation as to why his team went with Smith over Rodgers.

"Alex at the time was a good kid -- a very good person, a safe choice, always trying to please," Nolan told NFL Network. "On the other hand, Aaron was very cocky, very confident, arrogant. So you can say, 'Why didn't you take him to begin with?' Because that's really what your best quarterbacks look like. They aren't very pleasing. They aren't very safe."

"Basically, we thought in the long term that Alex Smith would be the better choice than Aaron. It was one of those, maybe, paralysis by analysis. We had so much time to think about it.

"We put a lot of stock in changing Aaron's throwing style. We also got caught up a little bit in that Alex was so mobile. That was a good thing. But in the end, we felt Alex would be the better long-time guy. Obviously, we were wrong in that thought process."

Nolan drafted Smith in his first year as head coach for the 49ers, and was fired after four seasons and a 18-37 record. He's admitted his mistake in the past, but the subject is inevitably brought up as each draft approaches, especially when there's a quarterback controversy.

Through their regular-season careers, Smith has thrown for 24,344 yards with 142 touchdown passes and 83 interceptions in 121 career starts, while Rodgers has produced 32,399 passing yards with 257 touchdowns, 65 interceptions in 119 starts.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox