Aaron Rodgers wanted the NFL record.
The Packers quarterback was pulled early in the third quarter amid a 55-14 thrashing of the Bears on Sunday but had just one more touchdown pass to go in order to tie the NFL record for most touchdown passes in a single game (seven).
Nick Foles and Peyton Manning both tied the record last year.
"Yeah, I knew what the record was," Rodgers said Tuesday on ESPN Radio, per the Green Bay Press-Gazette. "It would've been nice to get seven. We're still playing. I know it's 42-0 (at halftime), but it's the NFL still. There's talented guys who are getting paid on both sides. So we were still playing football there in the second half."
Rodgers did get a final drive in which he was throwing in the red zone while up 42-0, though he wasn't able to capitalize. It was the one time all night he missed the end zone.
"I think you owe it to the game to keep playing in similar situations, but there's a time and a place," Rodgers said. "We weren't going to stay in a no-huddle mindset there in the third quarter. We huddled up, we kind of were a little more deliberate on offense. That's respect for the opponent and respect for the game."
It's unclear how it would have looked to trot Rodgers out for one more attempt at breaking the record, especially with how poorly Chicago was playing. On one hand, it's a chance for the fans to see NFL history. On the other, it's creating a whole lot more bad blood with a division rival for years to come.
Something tells us Rodgers will get another chance, anyway.
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