'America's Game' tells 2010 Green Bay Packers' quest to Super Bowl

The newest installment of NFL Network's Emmy-winning series "America's Game" profiles the 2010 Green Bay Packers' journey from NFC wild card to Super Bowl.

The 45-minute show (without commercials), which airs at 8 tonight on NFL Network, focuses heavily on quarterback Aaron Rodgers, cornerback Charles Woodson and Coach Mike McCarthy. It showcases on each person's diverse backgrounds before coming to Green Bay and then elevating that franchise to its fourth Super Bowl title. 

Rodgers was not offered a Division I scholarship as a high school senior. Rodgers went to junior college for a year before heading to the University of California. He believed his boyhood favorite team, the San Francisco 49ers, would draft him No. 1 overall in 2005 after a conversation with then 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy. Rodgers instead was drafted No. 24 overall.

On draft day in 2005, Rodgers and other players joked about who would be the last player to leave the "green room," which is where top players sit waiting to hear their name called. "It's not that funny when it's you," Rodgers said. "It was a whirlwind ... just kind of sat there and faced the reality of dropping in the draft."

Rodgers described the experience as "very humbling."

"But it was honestly the best thing to happen to me," he said. "I was 21 years old. I thought I was the best thing since sliced bread and I needed a little bit of humble pie."

Rodgers then described his relationship with former Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre, who led the Packers in Rodgers' first three seasons in Green Bay.

"Drafting a quarterback in the first round is a statement - we all know that," Rodgers said. "I think he was offended by it and wanted to prove that he was still the best quarterback on the team, in the league and I was going to be on the bench for a while."

McCarthy left the 49ers to become Green Bay's head coach in 2006. The show spotlights McCarthy's background with his first jobs. As a bar owner's son, McCarthy had to clean the bar bathrooms on Sundays after church. As an unpaid assistant at Pitt, McCarthy worked the overnight shift as a highway toll collector.

Woodson's career began with the Heisman Trophy at Michigan and followed with eight stellar years in Oakland. It then exposed a wounded Woodson with his thoughts after Oakland released him.

"They thought I was done," Woodson said. "They thought I couldn't play the game anymore. 'He's lost a step, can't coach him, sleeping in meetings, bad locker room guy ...' Could I still play football? No question about it."

The first 15 minutes was filled solid anecdotes, like Rodgers buying 10 or 12 cowboy hats for his teammates entering the Packers' season-opening public luncheon because Super Bowl XLV was held in Texas. The description of linebacker Clay Matthews' relationships and his flowing locks of hair also was apt. Woodson called Matthews' watering of the mane as "his Fabio moment." Rodgers said he doesn't like to watch Matthews in pregame because "it's absolutely ridiculous."

"He loves to play to the camera," Rodgers said. "The difference between him and I is I'm from Northern California, and I act like it. And he's from Southern California, and he acts like it."

There are other clever anecdotes regarding Rodgers' fictious belt, which he applies after touchdown runs. He said it's about being considered too slow and reserves it only for homers in charity softball games and running touchdowns. McCarthy initially had a different view.

"The first time I saw it, I thought it had a little sexual connotation to it," McCarthy said. "I was a little concerned. But then when I was told exactly what it was, I thought it was kind of neat."

While the anecdotes were strong, the regular-season game footage felt rushed, even for the games against Minnesota and Favre. There were passing references to the desperation the team had entering its final two regular season games against the New York Giants and Chicago. The playoffs were glossed over, especially the NFC title game against the Bears. That subject needed more depth. Instead you could tell it was bypasssed for time. 

The show devoted more emphasis on the Super Bowl against Pittsburgh. There was good balance between the key plays (three times "27 Tampa" was spotlighted for big gains or touchdowns), Woodson's broken clavicle and Matthews' blast of Pittsburgh running back Rashard Mendenhall.

Overall, it had good depth, from a personal standpoint to experiencing the key plays of the season. But as with all newer episodes of the "America's Game" brand, you don't know which play becomes the life-long, signature moment. Through no fault of anyone, it lacks the context of earlier episodes. Will Green Bay become a team of destiny or a one-year titan? That's something we don't know quite yet. But for Green Bay fans - and most football fans, save those of the Minnesota or Chicago persuasion - it's a must-see snapshot of last year's Super Bowl champions.