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Favre: Packers need to let Rodgers 'play his game'

Dylan Buell / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Aaron Rodgers has known only one head coach and one offensive system throughout his entire 14-year NFL career, and how the Green Bay Packers' star quarterback adapts to Matt LaFleur's scheme is one of the most intriguing storylines for this upcoming season.

LaFleur's offense is designed to limit the need for its quarterback to make changes at the line of scrimmage. While Rodgers has expressed excitement about playing under his new head coach, he recently said the Packers would be unwise to ask him to "turn off 11 years (of recognizing defenses)."

Rodgers' propensity to freelance plays is similar to that of his predecessor, Brett Favre, who believes Green Bay would be best served by granting its signal-caller whatever freedoms he covets.

"Aaron will be fine," Favre said at the American Family Insurance Championship on Saturday, according to James Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I think that the thing is he needs to remain the same. And I don't have to give him any advice. You know, he'll handle it well.

"The question is, how will they handle it with him. And obviously, that's very important. I mean, there's more to the team than Aaron but we all have to admit that when he's playing and playing well, which generally when he's playing he is playing well, you don't want to change what's working. There's other factors that you have to work on."

LaFleur's philosophy was learned from the likes of San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan and Los Angeles Rams bench boss Sean McVay, widely recognized as two of the best play-callers and offensive strategists in the NFL.

However, Rodgers has won two MVPs and a Super Bowl ring playing his style of football.

For Favre, Green Bay's best shot at another Lombardi Trophy is through unleashing Rodgers, not stifling his skill set with a scheme that could limit his impact.

"I think you let him play his game and not disturb that very much," Favre said. "And it's going to be interesting to see if that happens."

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