Aaron Rodgers had quite a debut for the Pittsburgh Steelers as they won a thrilling 34-32 game over his former team, the New York Jets.
With the victory, Rodgers became the first quarterback in NFL history to defeat the team he played for the season prior in a Week 1 matchup the following year, making his revenge game all the more sweet.
Though the 41-year-old played in just 18 contests for Gang Green, he admitted that beating them to kick off his stint in Pittsburgh felt rather rewarding.
"I was happy to beat everyone associated with the Jets," Rodgers said.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) looks for an open teammate, Sunday, September 7, 2025, in East Rutherford. / Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
He was expected to usher in a new era of Jets football upon landing there via trade from the Green Bay Packers ahead of the 2023 campaign, but a torn Achilles on his first drive with the team put an end to his first year with them before it ever really began.
Rodgers returned to New York for the 2024 season and played relatively well, throwing for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, but the team flamed out and went 5-12 while also firing head coach Robert Saleh in October.
The Jets subsequently brought in a new regime spearheaded by head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey this offseason, who collectively agreed to release Rodgers as he was entering the final year of his contract.
Rodgers quickly became the No. 1 target for the Steelers amidst their vacancy behind center, and he eventually inked a one-year deal with the franchise in June.
Not only did he immediately get an opportunity to prove New York's braintrust wrong in Week 1, but he captured the win while going 22-for-30 and racking up 244 yards. Furthermore, his four passing touchdowns marked the first time a Pittsburgh signal caller accomplished that feat in the regular season since Ben Roethlisberger did so in 2020.
Rodgers looked sharp all day long, completing multiple throws on the move while operating at a high level from the pocket despite facing constant pressure from the Jets' defensive front.
If the future Hall of Famer can keep up the level of play he showcased in Week 1, the Steelers will be in good hands.
Eagles HC Nick Sirianni taking ‘private’ approach to internal Jalen Carter punishment
It's official, Philadelphia Eagles fans: Jalen Carter will be fined $57,222 and handed a suspension for one game for spitting on Dak Prescott, which has been retroactively enforced in Game 1.
While Carter's pockets may be a tad lighter moving forward, especially considering he is still on his rookie contract, the pathway has been cleared for No. 98 to return to the field for Week 2, when the reigning and defending Super Bowl Champions take on the Kansas City Chiefs for the second time this year.
Or has it been?
Talking to reporters on Monday about Carter's action and a potential suspension that still hadn't been decided either way, head coach Nick Sirianni told reporters that the Eagles would handle the situation internally, with any additional disciplinary actions being taken care of privately.
“I'm going to keep everything that I do with him private, regardless of if you see it on Sunday or not,” Sirianni told reporters. “Everything, every conversation, whether it's a personal conversation, a disciplinary thing, all those things will always be handled privately. I just think that's the way to go about doing team business, and when you're doing things with a football team.”
Now granted, would the Eagles intentionally put themselves in another game without their do-it-all defensive anchor, against a team they just beat in the Super Bowl earlier this year, no less? No, they almost certainly would not, especially considering how much Vic Fangio had to change up his defensive strategy to give Prescott a hard time while Carter watched along in the Lincoln Financial Field locker room. But could they keep Carter on the sidelines for the first play, the first drive, or even the first quarter of the game as a reminder that his biggest asset is his pass-rushing ability, not his trash talk? That feels far more possible.