For the first time in his 20-year career, Aaron Rodgers will take the field against the team that made him a legend Sunday night against the Packers.
When the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Packers on Sunday Night Football, Rodgers insists there’s no lingering bad blood towards his former team, even as emotions inevitably run high.
“I don’t have any animosity toward the organization,” Rodgers said this week. “Obviously I wish that things had been better in our last year there, but I have a great relationship with a lot of people still in that organization. This is not a revenge game for me. I’m just excited to see some of those guys and be on Sunday Night Football, again.”
Packers’ Micah Parsons could spoil Aaron Rodgers’ Green Bay reunion
Sep 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons (1) looks on in the second half against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The Packers and Steelers lead their respective divisions, setting up one of the season’s marquee matchups, that goes beyond Rodgers’ first crack at his former team.
Green Bay’s defense, rejuvenated by the arrival of pass-rusher Micah Parsons, will look to make Rodgers’ showdown with his former team as uncomfortable as possible.
Parsons, who leads the team with 5.5 sacks, has brought a relentless edge presence the Packers have lacked over the past several seasons, and could be the player who tips the scales in Green Bay’s favor on Sunday night.
Still, Rodgers’ legacy looms large, with his former head coach, Matt LaFleur, staring from the opposite sideline.
The four-time MVP guided Green Bay to 11 playoff appearances, a Super Bowl XLV title, and countless unforgettable moments over his 18 seasons.
“I grew up there,” Rodgers reflected. “I spent 18 years there from 21 to 39, so I’m thankful for my time there. Obviously would’ve loved to ride off in the sunset after a Super Bowl win, but that’s not the way the league goes sometimes.”
Now, Rodgers gets the chance to both exact some revenge and prove just how much he’s grown up since departing Green Bay, in what might be his best, last chance at a season spent chasing a championship.
“It’s fun playing for 8,” Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III said, of Rodgers, via ESPN. “Hall of Fame quarterback that’s continuing to build his résumé. We’re part of that. We just want to continue to make plays, obviously for ourselves and what we do, but for him as well.
“I’d be willing to do what I do for myself and my journey and my family and what God has blessed me with, but having respect for this game and what he’s done for this game, what he’s done for this team, and how he leads and how he carries himself, it makes you want to go out there and ball even more.”
Sep 21, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) makes a pass during the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images