Magic Johnson Says Aaron Rogers Reminds Him Of Larry Bird- Explains Both Are Great Leaders, Competitive, Make Their Teammates Better And The Game Look Easy

After the Green Bay Packers laid an almighty beatdown on the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, L.A. Lakers legend Magic Johnson was suitably impressed enough to compare quarterback Aaron Rodgers to another legend; Celtics Hall of Famer, three-time MVP and NBA champion Larry Bird. 

As reported by ESPN, the Lakers superstar and part-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers took to twitter to deliver Rodgers one of the biggest compliments imaginable in likening him to Johnson's longtime "good friend and rival", Bird.

Johnson and Bird squared off in three NBA championship series in the '80s, and between them took their teams to every NBA Finals in the decade (the Lakers going to eight, the Celtics five).   

Said Johnson in a string of Tweets: 

Watching Packers QB Aaron Rodgers lead his team in the first half against the Eagles, I was trying to think of who he reminds me of.

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) November 16, 2014

Aaron Rodgers reminds me of my good friend and rival Larry Bird. Aaron & Larry have similar qualities.

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) November 16, 2014

Both Aaron and Larry are great leaders, both are competitive & most importantly make their teammates better, all while making it look easy!

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) November 16, 2014

So the highest compliment I can give Aaron Rodgers, the best QB in the NFL, is to compare him to 3x NBA Champion Larry Bird!

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) November 16, 2014

Johnson's comments shouldn't come as much of a surprise after Rodgers - whose girlfriend is Newsroom star Olivia Munn - has looked dominant in leading his Packers to one of the best records in the league and winning six of their past seven games. 

While the Packers-Eagles game was billed as a battle of NFC heavyweights, the Packers made their intentions clear from the outset, racing to a 30-6 halftime lead on the back of two Rodgers touchdown throws, an Eddie Lacy rushing touchdown and a punt return taken to the house by Micah Hyde.   

The Packers rans away with the game in the second half, with Julius Peppers intercepting Philadelphia quarterback Mark Sanchez and returning it for a score; the Packers ended up winning the game 53-20.  Both the Packers and the Eagles are 7-3 for the season.  

According to CBS, Rodgers made sure to downplay the win, saying ''This is not easy. There's a lot of preparation that goes into it,'' Rodgers added. ''It takes 11 guys to win, to do the job to make something like that happen.''

Rodgers, notes the ESPN report, is also the record holder for the number of passes thrown without an interception while playing at home (322 passes at Lambeau Field), topping Tom Brady's record (288 at Gillette Stadium).

Magic and Bird, for their part, were rivals but such good friends it inspired an HBO special titled Magic & Bird: A Courtship Of Rivals.