Aaron Rodgers Dismisses Drama in Packers Return: But a Win Would Cement His Legacy

The Green Bay Packers have many notable games on their schedule for the 2025 NFL season. Of course, the open the season at home (for the first time in years) when they will take on the Detroit Lions, who have won the NFC North division in each of the past two seasons. Green Bay will be looking to make an early season statement in this contest after finishing just 1-5 against their division rivals last season, which included an 0-2 mark against Detroit.

Aside from their six contests against the Lions, Minnesota Vikings, and Chicago Bears, there are other notable games on the Packers’ schedule this year, but perhaps none as highly anticipated as their Week Eight matchup on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

This, of course, is because their former quarterback, four-time NFL MVP and future Pro Football Hall of Famer, Aaron Rodgers, will play his final professional season in Pittsburgh this year.

Former Green Bay Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers Breaks His Silence on Facing His Former Team

Rodgers spent 18 seasons with the Packers, who selected him in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. After sitting behind the legendary Brett Favre for three seasons, Rodgers was named Green Bay’s starting quarterback in 2008. In 2010, his third year as the starter, he led the team to victory in Super Bowl XLV.

He also won four NFL MVP Awards during his tenure as the Packers’ starting quarterback, taking home the award in 2011, 2014, 2020, and 2021.

But all good things must come to an end, and just as was the case when he took over from Favre, the Packers made the decision to name Jordan Love their starting quarterback despite the legendary status of their current star under center.

Rodgers was traded to the New York Jets, where he spent two seasons. However, the Jets’ new regime decided that they wanted to move in a different direction, and Rodgers was released following the 2024 NFL season.

A free agent for the first time in his career, Rodgers did not find many teams interested in his services, but he did eventually sign a contract with the Steelers, setting him up for a midseason matchup with his first former team.

Per Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated, Rodgers does not feel like this particular game will carry very much significance because it will be in Pittsburgh instead of Green Bay.

“I was thinking maybe coming to Lambeau would be amazing,” Rodgers said. “It’d be strange because I was on the other side of ’9 and ’10. It won’t be as energized, I would say, if we were coming back to Lambeau instead of having the Packers out to Pittsburgh. The thing is, and you know this, not many guys that I’ve played with are still there.”

The 2009 and 2010 games Rodgers referenced were when Favre returned to Lambeau as the quarterback of the hated Vikings.

As one can see from the comments, the former Packers quarterback does not have many teammates left from his time in Green Bay still on the current roster. Because of the vast amount of changes that have been made to the Packers’ roster, some of the juice has been taken out of the matchup for the future Pro Football Hall of Famer.

Still, one has to assume that he would love to show the Packers he can still play at a high level. A win over Green Bay, too, would make him just the fifth quarterback ever to beat all 32 NFL teams. Favre, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees are the only ones who have accomplished that feat so far.