Over his last couple of seasons with the Green Bay Packers, wide receiver Davante Adams proved that he was one of, if not the best player at his position in the NFL. But prior to being traded to the Las Vegas Raiders, there were some who wondered how much of that was due to playing with one of the greatest quarterbacks ever in Aaron Rodgers.
Great quarterbacks can make average players look extraordinary, and some questioned whether Adams was really this good or simply a product of his environment. Last year put an end to all of those questions as Adams finished with 100 catches for 1,516 yards and 14 touchdowns, which led the NFL. And he did so with Derek Carr and Jarrett Stidham at quarterback.
Adams was rewarded by being selected to the NFL All-Pro First Team, and in an interview with Mirin Fader of The Ringer, Adams admitted the honor meant a lot to him because it showed his doubters that he didn’t need Rodgers to succeed:
“It proved that I am me,” Adams, who was traded to the Raiders during the 2022 offseason after eight seasons with Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, told The Ringer in an interview published Tuesday. “A quarterback doesn’t make me. … I make me. And I can do it consistently at this level.
“That’s why [last] season meant a lot. Even if I went and played like dog s— next year, they can’t say it. Because now I’ve already proved it throughout the course of a season, played every game, and put together a résumé that says I do not need …
“You can erase all the numbers. You can just write in: He didn’t need Aaron Rodgers.”
It has to be frustrating to put in so much work to be as great as Adams is only for some to question how much of it is really because of you. Obviously, Rodgers is an outstanding player, and a receiver needs a great quarterback to succeed, but Davante Adams has proven himself to be a special talent.
Now Adams will once again have a new face under center with Jimmy Garoppolo leading the Raiders as the franchise’s new quarterback. Whether or not they have the same chemistry as he had with Carr or Rodgers, everyone will find out once the season begins. But one thing that’s for certain is that he will almost definitely continue to put up those outstanding numbers for the silver and black for many more years.
