Aaron Rodgers and the 10 Guys Who Made You Forget About a Legend

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For his entire career, Aaron Rodgers has had the successes of Brett Favre looming over his every move. Rodgers has advanced the Green Bay Packers to the Super Bowl and has an opportunity now to sufficiently replace Favre.

Replacing a legend is one of the more difficult tasks in all of sports. Stepping in behind a player that enlivened a franchise and earned the love of a city elevates expectations and pressure.

Some have managed to become legends themselves and started their own eras. Here are 10 people that were successful replacing a legend.

10. Bill Cowher Replacing Chuck Noll

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Bill Cowher in no way outperformed Chuck Noll. It's doubtful that anyone could have. Noll won four Super Bowls, created the Steel Curtain defense and is responsible for the Pittsburgh Steelers' best days.

Cowher didn't shy away from the challenge of replacing his mentor. In 15 seasons with Cowher as head coach, the Steelers won eight division titles, went to the playoffs 10 times and won Super Bowl XL.

He is now one of the most sought-after head coaches in the NFL.

9. Colt McCoy Replacing Vince Young

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After Vince Young scintillated college football while at Texas with his spectacular dual-threat quarterbacking, the Longhorns had two players waiting in the wings to replace Young. Colt McCoy ended up beating out Jevan Snead for the job.

Although McCoy never won a national championship or a Heisman Trophy—Young won a national championship but not a Heisman—he was a four-year starter that went 3-1 against Oklahoma.

8. Tino Martinez Replacing Don Mattingly

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Don Mattingly retired from his post as Yankees first baseman after the 1995 season with a .307 lifetime batting average. He spent his whole career in New York winning nine Gold Gloves and becoming a fan favorite.

The Yankees replaced Mattingly by picking up Tino Martinez. He hit .292 with 117 RBIs in 1996 and came in second in the MVP voting in 1997. He remained with the Yankees until 2001, providing consistent hitting and decent power.

Martinez returned to New York for the 2005 season.

7. Matt Ryan Replacing Michael Vick

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After Michael Vick injected life into the Atlanta Falcons from 2001-2006, he ripped it all away in pleading guilty to charges stemming from a dog-fighting ring.

With a franchise in turmoil, the Falcons needed a new quarterback. They drafted Matt Ryan third overall in the 2008 draft. Since, Ryan has developed into a Pro Bowl quarterback that has the Falcons back near the top of the NFL.

6. Ernie Davis Replacing Jim Brown

Jim Brown was a consensus All-American running back as a senior at Syracuse in 1956, electrifying college football with a rare combination of speed and power.

It ended up not being that rare as Ernie Davis stepped in just three years later with a similar skill set. Davis was twice a consensus first-team All-American and led Syracuse to a national championship.

5. Boomer Esiason Replacing Ken Anderson

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Ken Anderson is often forgotten when remembering great quarterbacks in NFL history. Of course, he's not on the level of Bart Starr or Joe Montana or the likes, but he is one of the most accurate passers to ever play in the league.

He also took the Cincinnati Bengals to Super Bowl XVI.

Boomer Esiason also took the Bengals to a Super Bowl and won two division titles compared to one by Anderson.

4. Art Monk Replacing Charley Taylor

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After Charley Taylor retired in 1977 as the NFL's all-time leading receiver with 649 receptions, more than 9,000 yards and 79 touchdowns, the Washington Redskins needed a new wide receiver.

When Art Monk caught 58 balls in his rookie season, it was clear the Redskins had found their man.

Monk ended up with more receptions and more yards. He also won three Super Bowls compared to Taylor's zero.

3. Mike Tomlin Replacing Bill Cowher

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Mike Tomlin is one win away from outdoing Bill Cowher with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He already matched Cowher in Super Bowl rings in 2008. If he wins Super XLV in two weeks, he'll be the new living legend.

Tomlin has coached the Steelers since 2007 and could be there a very long time. He was the youngest head coach to ever win a Super Bowl at 36. He is currently under contract through 2013.

2. Mickey Mantle Replacing Joe DiMaggio

For 32 seasons, the New York Yankees had arguably the best center fielder in Major League Baseball.

From 1936-1951, it was Joe DiMaggio. With 13 All-Star appearances, nine world championships and a still-unmatched 56-game hit streak, who would have thought it could get better?

Mickey Mantle may have done just that. He earned 20 All-Star appearances, seven world championships and matched DiMaggio's three American League MVPs. Mantle also won a Gold Glove, which DiMaggio never did.

1. Steve Young Replacing Joe Montana

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Steve Young went from professional bust to nearly losing his starting job to Hall of Fame quarterback. It took time, but Young eventually sufficiently replaced Joe Montana.

Montana elevated the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowl wins, achieving two NFL MVPs along the way. He's known as one of the great big-game quarterbacks in NFL history.

Young did pretty well himself, winning three Super Bowls (two as the backup to Montana) and two MVPs himself and matching Montana in nearly every way possible.