On Wednesday, the NFL released each team’s schedule for the upcoming 2025 NFL season, which features an intriguing Week 1 matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Jets that Rich Eisen believes was made for a reason.
Based on the annual NFL schedule rotation that determines which non-divisional games each team plays, we already knew prior to Wednesday’s schedule release that the Jets and the Steelers were set to play.
But interestingly, the two teams will begin the 2025 NFL season against each other, which creates an intriguing storyline should Aaron Rodgers ultimately decide to return for a 21st season in the NFL and sign with the Steelers.
On NFL Network’s schedule release coverage on Wednesday, Rich Eisen publicly declared that he believes it was no coincidence that teams are facing off in Week 1.
“The real one that jumps out at me in terms of a team is… We’re all waiting on a particular Malibu resident to say ‘I am going to play football this year,’ said Eisen. “It does appear that the NFL believes Aaron Rodgers will be the starting quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Otherwise, why would they put they put the Steelers in the home of the New York Jets Week 1, right off the bat?”
“It does appear that the NFL believes Aaron Rodgers will be the starting quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Otherwise, why would they put they put the Steelers in the home of the New York Jets Week 1?”
Rich Eisen looks at the Steelers schedule. pic.twitter.com/6aSAKRafhp
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 15, 2025
The storylines truly write themselves with the Jets-Steelers Week 1 matchup if Rodgers does indeed sign with Pittsburgh. Will the Jets regret releasing Aaron Rodgers? How will Aaron Rodgers be received in his return to the Jets’ home crowd at MetLife Stadium?
It won’t take too long to get all of those answers out in the open in the first week of the NFL season, which could create even more season-long storylines for both teams.
And even if Rodgers doesn’t opt to sign with any team and ends up retiring, there is still the looming question that pertains to the Steelers letting Justin Fields walk in free agency and whether this will be a decision that they grow to regret.
When all things are fair and equal, it makes complete sense for the NFL to cater its schedule for as many storyline-driven games as possible. And like Eisen stated, it sure seems as if this was the case here when it comes to Week 1.