GREEN BAY, Wis. — Matt Flynn woke up Sunday morning making good money as the Green Bay Packers' backup quarterback. He'll go to sleep Sunday night knowing that he's going to be a multi-millionaire and an NFL starter in the very near future.
With Aaron Rodgers getting the day off to rest before the playoffs, Flynn started Sunday for Green Bay. By the end of the game, Flynn had broken several franchise and NFL records as he led the Packers to a 45-41 win over the playoff-bound Detroit Lions.
In only his second NFL start, the 26-year-old quarterback became Green Bay's all-time leader in passing yards in a single game with 480 and the first Packers QB ever to throw six touchdowns in one game.
"It was clearly one of the best performances I've been a part of," coach Mike McCarthy said after the game. "No doubt about it. I can't say enough about Matt Flynn. The whole world got to see what we see every day."
Flynn, a seventh-round pick by Green Bay in 2008, will be a free agent after this season. Ever since his three-touchdown game late last season in New England when Rodgers was out with a concussion, Flynn has stated repeatedly that his goal is to be a starting quarterback somewhere. Given that Rodgers is only one year older and one of the NFL's best players, Flynn has acknowledged that if he gets a starting job, it won't be with the Packers.
That is why Flynn's teammates are already wishing him well on whichever team signs him to a multi-year, big-money contract this offseason.
"We'll definitely miss him," offensive lineman Josh Sitton said. "Go somewhere else (outside of the NFC). Go to the AFC, Matty."
Wide receiver Jordy Nelson — who signed a contract extension with Green Bay earlier this season in the midst of his most productive year in the NFL — caught three of Flynn's touchdown passes on Sunday.
"It's good timing for that man," Nelson said with a laugh, "so good luck to him."
Immediately before Nelson began speaking with the media in the locker room, it was announced that Flynn was headed to the podium for a post-game press conference.
"The best quarterback in Green Bay Packers history just walked by and you're standing here?" Nelson quipped.
With Flynn throwing him the ball, Nelson statistically had his best game ever with nine catches and 162 yards, both career-highs, and became the second player in franchise history to have the combination of that many receptions, yards and touchdowns in one game.
"He put on a show," Nelson said. "It was unbelievable. We're extremely excited for Matt in this locker room."
When Flynn threw his fifth touchdown of the game early in the fourth quarter, he became the second player in the franchise's 92-year history to throw for 400 yards and five touchdowns in a game. Not even Aaron Rodgers or Brett Favre accomplished that feat, as it was a performance by Don Horn in 1969 that Flynn joined in the record books.
"They just read to me a couple of the (records) that we did today, and wow," Flynn said after the game. "It was incredible. Great feeling. It's humbling. I'm honored to have the opportunity to do it and just think about all the great quarterbacks that have come through here."
Flynn finished the game 31 of 44 passing for 480 yards with one interception and the six touchdowns. Based on Flynn's best recollection, that is more touchdown passes than he has thrown at any level of football.
While Flynn's performance will likely lead to a full-time starting job next season outside of Green Bay, he didn't want to take anything away from the 15-1 Packers as they enter the playoffs as the NFC's No. 1 seed and defending Super Bowl champs.
"I'm not thinking about that right now," Flynn said. "That is a mind game that you're going to have to stay away from. Preparing for the game, I looked at it as just one game. I didn't look at it as trying to prove anything to anybody, or trying to prove myself to the rest of the NFL. I didn't look at it like that. There's a lot ahead for this team."
Unless Rodgers is injured during the playoffs, Flynn's season is over. But with this game, Flynn became the third player in the NFL since 1970 to throw at least three touchdown passes in his first two career starts, joining Dan Marino and Kurt Warner. Flynn also was the fourth quarterback in NFL history to have 475-plus yards and six touchdowns in the same game, becoming part of an elite group that includes Joe Montana (1990), Joe Namath (1972) and Y.A. Tittle (1962).
"We knew he was a winner, but this was way, way unexpected," tight end Jermichael Finley said, who caught seven passes and one touchdown from Flynn.
Flynn had plenty of help from Rodgers, too.
"We talked all week about the no-huddle situations," Flynn said, referencing Rodgers. "We mentally put drives together all week leading up to today. We sat down (Saturday) night for about an hour and talked about what we thought.
"Then today he was calling the plays in the no-huddle. He would either call the play or give me some feedback."
Rodgers tried to keep those conversations light-hearted.
"He made us laugh out there," Flynn said, "being Aaron: serious on the field, goofball off of it."
Flynn certainly made the most of his opportunity and received plenty of praise from teammates and coaches, but McCarthy also kept it in perspective.
"Matt's off to a good start," McCarthy said. "That's definitely a performance he can build off of. It's a comfort to know you have a young man with that type of football in front of him. I was very proud of Matt today."
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