Getty

GREEN BAY, WI - SEPTEMBER 13: Brian Urlacher #54 of the Chicago Bears watches as Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers calls the signals at Lambeau Field on September 13, 2012 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Bears 23-10. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

If there’s anyone knows how dangerous Aaron Rodgers was at his peak, it’s Chicago Bears great Brian Urlacher.

Urlacher spent his entire 13-season NFL career with the Bears (2000-2012) and matched up against Rodgers early on in his Green Bay Packers tenure. The Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker witnessed Rodgers’ first MVP season in 2011 when he had one of the most remarkable seasons in NFL history, throwing 45 touchdowns against just six interceptions for an NFL record 122.5 passer rating.

The 48-year-old matched up against the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, going up against Peyton Manning in Super Bowl XLI and matching up against Tom Brady on three different occasions. While Brady and Manning are regarded as two of the best to ever do it, Urlacher said going up against Rodgers was the most difficult quarterback assignment he ever had.

“It’s Aaron (Rodgers), because we played him twice a year,” said Urlacher when asked about the toughest quarterback he faced. “I played Peyton maybe two or three times, I think Tom (Brady) as well. Aaron was the biggest pain in the ***. Like I said, the mobility, and we played well against them sometimes. He also had some great games against us.”

Brian Urlacher and the Bears Struggled Against Aaron Rodgers-Led Packers

Urlacher went 4-6 against Rodgers during his career, including an NFC Championship Game loss during the 2010 season. That was the year that Rodgers won his lone Super Bowl. Rodgers also threw five touchdowns in a Christmas Day win over the Bears in 2011.

The former Defensive Player of the Year admits that when Rodgers took over the Packers — he became the starting quarterback during the 2008 season — is when the tables started to turn and Green Bay started dominating the rivalry.

Prior to Rodgers taking over as the starting quarterback in 2008, Urlacher and the Bears had won five of their prior six games against the Brett Favre-led Packers. The Bears went 2-9 from 2008 until 2012 during Urlacher’s final five years in the league.

“When he started playing for them is when they really started turning the tables on that rivalry,” said Urlacher. “We did OK my first six or seven years, and I think we were above .500. When Aaron took over is when they really started to dominate that series versus the Bears. That was because of him.”

Caleb Williams Considers Aaron Rodgers to be Second-Best QB Ever

While Rodgers may not be considered the G.O.A.T. — that distinction belongs to Brady — he is well respected by most of his peers. There’s a reason he has four NFL MVP’s — most in NFL history behind Manning — and why he has the lowest interception rate of any quarterback in league history. He also holds countless records and is on the verge of playing his 22nd NFL season, with only Brady having played more seasons as a quarterback than Rodgers.

Rodgers has already said that this upcoming season with the Pittsburgh Steelers will be his last.

Caleb Williams, the Bears’ current franchise quarterback, considers Rodgers to be the second-best quarterback ever behind only Brady.

Rodgers may be a polarizing figure and he may only have one Super Bowl to his resume, but it’s clear that as a dual-threat quarterback, he was arguably the most feared passer at the peak of his playing career.