Aaron Rodgers Says Alex Smith Was Picked No. 1 Because He Was More Polite

During an appearance on Bill Simmons’ HBO show, Any Given Wednesday, Aaron Rodgers suggested the San Francisco 49ers chose Alex Smith over him in 2005 based on manners.

"The story that I heard, and I don't know if it's true or not, was that [then-head coach] Mike Nolan said that when he saw Alex open the car door for his mom, he knew that was the quarterback he wanted," Rodgers said.

Yikes.

"I was at lunch with [San Francisco]," he continued. "My mom wasn't there. My dad wasn't there."

Rodgers has turned into a Super Bowl-winning superstar for the Green Bay Packers, who selected him with the No. 24 overall pick. Smith has been OK—but he’s not an all-time talent like A-Rod.

In late April, Nolan explained to NFL Network (via CSNBayArea.com's Matt Maiocco) that San Francisco opted for Smith because he was a “good kid” and a “safe choice” while Rodgers was “very cocky, very confident, arrogant.”

Good call.

[YouTube, h/t CBS Sports]