On and off the field, there's always a sense of respect between individual players on rival teams. Very few may match the admiration Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has for Brian Urlacher.

Urlacher, the former Chicago Bears middle linebacker, was voted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility on Saturday.

Rodgers was stopped briefly on the red carpet at the NFL Honors to discuss just what Urlacher meant to both his own career and the game of football.

"I think he's the smartest player that I've ever played against," Rodgers told Adam Hoge, a Chicago Bears Insider for WGN Radio. "No one has played the position like he did, with the freedom to check in and out of coverage. And obviously, his talent is second to none."

Talking with @AaronRodgers12 about @BUrlacher54: pic.twitter.com/jvIrxBs023

— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) February 3, 2018

Since becoming a starter in 2008, Rodgers has very obviously made a significant living shredding the Bears' defense en route to 42 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 19 meetings -- tied with the Minnesota Vikings for the most meetings against any opponent in his career. He's helped lead the Packers to a 15-4 record in that stretch.

During the years that Rodgers was starting while Urlacher was active, the Packers were 6-2 in eight games against an Urlacher-led defense, including in the 2010 NFC Championship.

After leading the Packers on a 10-play drive to start their first offensive possession of the second half with a 14-0 lead, Rodgers threw a costly interception to Urlacher in the red zone that he seemingly would've been able to return for the first Bears points of the game -- until Rodgers, the last line of defense for Green Bay, roped an arm around Urlacher's knees and tripped him up in the open field.

It was one of the iconic plays of that game -- a 21-14 Packers win -- and one that could've changed the course of the Packers' Super Bowl run that season.

"A guy that big, that fast, that athletic and with those instincts... I said it last year about [Terrell Owens], I think T.O.'s one of the greatest receivers, should definitely be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He should get in tonight. Brian should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer as well."

Rodgers has adamantly expressed his appreciation for having played against Urlacher in his career in a multitude of instances.

After Urlacher's retirement, Rodgers went on "The Jim Rose Show" to discuss someone who he called "his favorite player to play against."

"I just have the utmost amount of respect for him, the way he plays the game. A lot of memories come to mind. He picked me off a couple times, maybe more than anybody else has ... But, the thing I loved about going against Brian was the conversation between plays, between series, during TV timeouts. I just have a ton of respect for him and wish him nothing but the best. I'll miss him out there."

Just last month, Rodgers foreshadowed his comments at the NFL Honors by advocating Urlacher being a first-ballot Hall of Famer to the Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs. 

"He is one of my favorites if not my favorite player ... because he is hyper-competitive. He is a tough human and he does it the right way. He plays with a lot of passion, a lot of grit and a lot of class. I always enjoyed our battles."