Former Cal quarterback and Super Bowl XLV MVP Aaron Rodgers has made a seven-figure gift to the football program at the University of California that will be used to renovate the football locker room and create the Aaron Rodgers Football Scholarship."I'm pleased and proud to make this gift to support Cal football," Rodgers said. "My years at Cal were among the best years of my life. My time in Berkeley created lasting, unforgettable memories. Coach Wilcox was on the coaching staff when I was a Bear, and I am excited about the team's direction with Justin pointing the way. He is a tremendous football coach and an even better role model for his players. I hope that my contribution can help him move this program forward."Dr. Paul F. White '68, an internationally recognized expert in ambulatory anesthesia and pain management, also generously contributed a six-figure gift to the project. He and his wife, Linda, have donated to numerous other projects benefiting Golden Bear student-athletes, including the renovation of California Memorial Stadium and the establishment of the Paul F. White Sports Medicine Complex at Haas Pavilion. White is also the brother of former Cal football All-American and College Football Hall of Famer Ed White, and this contribution is just the latest example of his dedication to Cal Athletics and student-athlete wellness."Aaron Rodgers is one of the most exceptional players in the history of our football program and among the most recognizable names in the world," Director of Athleticssaid. "We are tremendously proud of Aaron and grateful that he is providing this level of support to our football program, and we believe it will inspire others, as well. His generosity allows us to greatly enhance our student-athlete experience and provide a scholarship to a deserving junior college transfer. I'd also like to extend a thank you to Paul White, whose long-time support for Cal Athletics has enabled us to expand opportunities for student-athletes in countless ways."The renovation of the Cal football locker room will be performed this summer in time for the 2019 season and, once completed, the space will be renamed the Aaron Rodgers Team Locker Room.The Aaron Rodgers Football Scholarship will be awarded each year to a junior college transfer. Rodgers himself came to Cal after one season at Butte College near his hometown of Chico following his prep career at nearby Pleasant Valley High School.Rodgers played two seasons at Cal and made an immediate impact in his first campaign in 2003 by leading the Bears to a 52-49 win over Virginia Tech in the Insight Bowl, where he was named the game's offensive MVP. The Bears finished with an 8-6 overall record and their most wins in a decade.In 2004, Rodgers earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors when he led one of the best teams in Cal history to a 10-2 overall record and a 7-1 conference mark. Cal finished the 2004 regular season ranked No. 4 in the nation with a lone loss at No. 1 USC and ended the campaign with a No. 9 national ranking following a loss in the Holiday Bowl.Rodgers remains etched throughout the Cal record book and is the Bears' all-time leader in passing efficiency (150.3) while his string of 26 consecutive completions spanning a pair of games in 2004 and 23 in a row to open that season's contest at USC set and equaled all-time FBS marks at the time. Overall, Rodgers completed 424-of-665 passes for 5,469 yards with 43 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in his two seasons at Cal (2003-04).Green Bay selected Rodgers in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft and he has gone on to become one of the top quarterbacks in NFL history. In addition to his accomplishments as the MVP and winning quarterback of Super Bowl XLV, Rodgers is also a two-time NFL MVP and first-team All-Pro selection (2011, 2014), as well as the AP Athlete of the Year (2011). Rodgers has thrown 338 regular-season touchdowns in his 14-year NFL career to rank 10th in the league's history while his 42,944 passing yards are 17th."We are thrilled and grateful that Aaron is making this important investment in the Cal football program," said head coach, who was the Bears' linebackers coach when Rodgers quarterbacked at Cal. "Aaron's gift will help provide our student-athletes with a tremendous place to gather and prepare for all our football-related activities. It will also be great to show recruits visiting our campus a top-notch space and the level of support our program has from one of the greatest to ever play the game.""What Aaron Rodgers is doing for our team is an absolute blessing," current Cal quarterbacksaid. "For a man who will go down as one of the greatest football players to ever play the game to make a contribution to our program of this magnitude is incredible. As Cal student-athletes we are so thankful for what he is doing. The support he is showing is inspiring. It is an absolute thrill to have a former Cal player like Aaron, a guy who we as current players look up to so much, invest in our program."Cal football, Cal Athletics and the University of California are thankful to Aaron Rodgers for his outstanding philanthropic leadership. To learn more about how to support Cal's 850 student-athletes, please contact Cal Athletics by phone at (510) 642-2427 or email at CalAthleticsFund@berkeley.edu