Ever since the NFL released its 2025 schedule, a certain Week 8 matchup has been highlighted on every fan’s schedule. It will take place on Sunday Night Football, with the Pittsburgh Steelers facing the Green Bay Packers. The game, of course, marks Aaron Rodgers’ first contest versus his former employer, one he spent 18 years with.
Many people can relate to Rodgers leaving one job for another—unwillingly, by the way— and wanting to do their darndest to one-up their former employer. That’s certainly the case with Rodgers, but apparently only in terms of getting a win for Pittsburgh, as, according to the four-time MVP himself, he holds no ill will towards the Packers. Rodgers discussed why he doesn’t see his first meeting with the Packers as a “revenge game” despite the narrative surrounding this matchup.
Sunday Night Football is the highest-rated NFL game every week, which alone has Rodgers looking forward to this game. This will be his first SNF appearance with the Steelers, and, ironically, the Steelers were also involved in his last Sunday Night Football game.
Last year, almost a year to the day on Oct. 20, Rodgers, then with the New York Jets, faced Pittsburgh on Sunday night. It was a game to forget for Rodgers as his Jets were defeated, 37-15, with the quarterback having twice as many interceptions (two) as touchdown passes (one).
While fans will likely draw parallels between this game and Brett Favre’s departure from the Packers, who also made a stop with the Jets before joining the Vikings and facing Green Bay for the first time, the situations differ. Favre’s exit from Green Bay was much more contentious, and he eventually ended up with one of the Packers’ biggest rivals in the Vikings. Green Bay and Pittsburgh aren’t rivals and aren’t even in the same conference, as they usually play just once every four years.
It’s important to note that the Steelers vs. Packers matchup will take place in Pittsburgh and not in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where Rodgers called home for 18 years. He admits that the location does affect his emotions in this contest, saying, “If we were playing in Lambeau [Field], that would be a little different feeling for sure.”
Rodgers’ last game with the Packers took place in January 2023, meaning it will be 1,023 days since he last suited up for the team when SNF rolls around. Thus, the phrase “time heals all wounds” does come into effect and has, somewhat, cooled any unresolved tension that Rodgers had with the Packers, who traded Rodgers away to begin a new era under Jordan Love.
“Absence makes the heart grow fonder,” Rodgers said about how his attitude towards the Packers has shifted. “Have a lot of great memories from my time there. ... I grew up there. 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, and I knew the writing was on the wall when Jordan was picked, and as a matter of time, I happened to win MVP the first two years he was with us. But I knew at some point there would be a change, and if I wanted to play, it'd probably have to be elsewhere. So, I understand the situation.”
Even at 41 years old, Rodgers is having one of his best seasons. He has a 68.6 completion rate, which is the third-best mark of his career and only trails those two MVP seasons he referenced. Rodgers also leads the NFL in touchdown rate (8.1 percent) and has the Steelers (4-2) atop the AFC North entering Week 8.
Whether revenge or NFL history or simply getting to 5-2 are motivators for Rodgers, all eyes will be on NBC when Sunday Night Football between the Steelers and Packers kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET.
