The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to face another legendary NFL franchise this week in the form of the Green Bay Packers. Under the lights in primetime on Sunday night is nearly the perfect stage for four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers to renew his acquaintances with his old team. The future Hall of Fame signal-caller spent 18 seasons in Northeast Wisconsin (2005-2022) and was the full-time starter for 15 of those years. He helped lead Green Bay to 11 playoff appearances, eight division titles, five NFC Championship Game appearances, and a Super Bowl title, which ironically came against the Steelers nearly 15 years ago. This could be the first and only time that the 41-year-old faces the Packers in his career.
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Former Packers QB Aaron Rodgers celebrates a score in Super Bowl XLV.
Of course, this is not going to be an easy battle for Rodgers and Pittsburgh, seeing as Green Bay is leading the NFC at 4-1-1 and starting to find its groove. However, Steelers All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey made it clear to the Pittsburgh media on Friday that the team has Rodgers' back ahead of the matchup against his old team.
"If it's important to him, it's important to us," Ramsey said. "We kind of treat it like that for anybody who has a game against one of their former teams. You know, we like a family in here. We'll be together more than we be with our families during the season. So yeah, if it's important to him, it's important to us."
For the Steelers to go anywhere this season, they are going to need their veterans to step up and lead in big games. That starts with each of them showing support in games that might be personal. For Rodgers, although he has said that he isn't looking to get revenge on his old team, he is going to take the field against them for the first time since they decided to trade him to the New York Jets after the 2022 season.
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Former New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks on before a home game during the 2024 season.
Seeing the teammates, especially two future Hall of Fame players such as Rodgers and Ramsey, in the building come together and support each other should give the fans of Pittsburgh positive feelings.
Steelers Have History On Their Side With Aaron Rodgers
While the Packers appear to be legitimate Super Bowl contenders this season, history tells NFL fans that Rodgers and the Steelers should perform well in this game. 16 years ago, Rodgers was in his second full season as Green Bay's starter when the Packers went to face then-Minnesota Vikings quarterback and eventual Hall of Fame player Brett Favre. Favre, of course, played 16 seasons and won a Super Bowl in Green Bay before moving on to the Jets, then the Vikings. When the teams met for the first time with Favre in Minnesota, the Vikings ended up getting the win 30-23. Furthermore, the Vikings won the latter matchup in the season at Lambeau Field, as well, by a score of 38-26. In more recent history, legendary quarterback Tom Brady returned to face the New England Patriots, after winning six Super Bowls with them, as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021. Brady and the Bucs would get the win 19-17.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to defeat Tom Brady and the Buccaneers in his final career meeting against the AFC North squad in 2022.
If Rodgers was looking for any proof that he could beat his old team, he now has some. He will be taking the field against his former teammate and understudy in Jordan Love. With a victory on Sunday night, Rodgers will be one of five quarterbacks in NFL history to have beaten all 32 franchises. The other quarterbacks on that list are Brady, Favre, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees. It would be another star on the vest for Rodgers, who will likely be a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee when he becomes eligible.
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