Out of the Darkness

The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers

By: Ian O'Connor

Narrated by: Charles Constant

Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

Instant New York Times Bestseller

"A masterwork. ... O'Connor answers every question, deftly and deeply, that we've had about the most controversial person in America's biggest game."—Peter King

Four-time New York Times bestselling sport biographer Ian O’Connor pulls back the curtain on four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, delivering the definitive portrait of the legendary yet mysterious quarterback who has astonished, befuddled, yet always captivated fans of America’s #1 sport.

Aaron Rodgers is among the two or three most talented players to ever hold the most important job in American team sports–quarterback. He also stands as the most mysterious and polarizing figure in the modern-day national pastime that is professional football.

From his controversial Covid stance to his methods of spiritual awakening to his estrangement from his family to his high-profile romances to his devastating Achilles injury a mere four plays into his New York Jets career, Rodgers has long dominated the NFL’s news cycle.

At thirty-nine, in search of a challenge that would rejuvenate him, Rodgers divorced the iconic Green Bay Packers of Vince Lombardi fame for the Jets, who have not appeared in a Super Bowl since Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon. The trade made Rodgers the biggest story in the biggest league in the biggest market. By far.

That story only got bigger when Rodgers shockingly went down on the night of 9/11, in front of a packed house that roared for him when he took the field carrying an American flag, and in front of the biggest Monday Night Football audience in ESPN history, peaking at more than 25 million viewers across all platforms. Rodgers then shocked the world by pulling off the fastest recorded comeback from an Achilles tear, returning to practice eleven weeks after surgery. Remarkably enough, he would have played again in the 2023 season, at age 40, had the Jets remained in playoff contention.

Ian O’Connor uses hundreds of original interviews to pull back the curtain and answer the most penetrating questions about the league’s most enigmatic player. Just like he did in his defining bios of Bill Belichick, Mike Krzyzewski, Derek Jeter, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer, O’Connor reveals all sides of an all-time great and delivers a portrait of a complex man that will forever shape the way he is viewed.

©2024 Ian O'Connor (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

Author seems clueless as to what draws a lot of people to Aaron

The author seemed to have no idea that A LOT of people actually really like Aaron BECAUSE he DID stand up for individual freedom during and after covid. Either he’s clueless or actually tried to make Aaron look bad for having a different stance than he does. He might need to be reminded when writing a bio that no one cares about the author opinion and maybe to get out of New York a little more often. He might be surprised by how many people have different views outside of NY and CA

Great book!

Overall a great book, few cheap shots in there but overall very fair and informative

Very interesting

I got the feeling that the author wanted to show ARod in a fair and balanced way but also had to proof the book with Rodgers before he completed it. Therefore, I feel this portrayal is kind to Rodgers overall. It seems that another purpose the author chose was to try to bridge the family estrangement. In the end, Rodgers is a fascinating character study either way you choose to view his legacy.

Well-researched and fair

Excellent book, well researched and seems to be a fair evaluation of the life of the greatest thrower of the football in human history.

A good story

Made Aaron into a greater QB than he is. His playoff failures and mistakes in the biggest moments make him a great reular season QB but a poor playoff one. Did not definitively figure out why Aaron has no communication with anyone in family including grandma.

The mystery remains

There’s some intriguing stuff in here, but by and large it’s a bunch of game summaries. I was interested in Rodgers relationship, or lack thereof, with Favre and was curious how and why he has no contact with family. Came away thinking fame and fortune have warped him (and Favre). Kind and generous guy who seeks attention and can be petty and vindictive. Sing his praises or else.

The incredible story

This was an incredible story about a very interesting quarterback, Aaron Rogers. From his childhood up to his 40th birthday, he’s been a very determined and hard-working athlete. This book dives into the many layers of Aaron Rodgers.

Not to bad.

I’ve never been a rogers fan but this was a pretty good book if your a fan of the game

Some Fun Anecdotes But Incomplete

If you're a Packers fan who lived through the Rodgers era, there are some fun behind the scenes stories and information that fills in some blanks, but rarely anything perception changing. The story of his wait on draft night and his relationship with Favre were the most compelling chapters, and the stories of family drama were sad. Some of the great games and stretches of his career felt skimmed over at times. He should have been held more accountable for his final seasons in Green Bay and for his performances in big games late in his time there. Overall, a good book for the average NFL fan or sports fan that wasn't there to witness every game and interview along the way. Packers fans may walk away wanting more and will have to wait for that story to be told.

The struggles

The struggles that Aaron went thru aren't know by many modern day fans. Huge fan of Aaron's and even admire the person even more.