Anticipation for a lively NFL season was finally put to rest Sunday afternoon, and for Pittsburgh Steelers fans, the 2025 season opener couldn’t have been scripted any better. In a thrilling 34-32 shootout win over the New York Jets, all eyes were on Aaron Rodgers — and the 41-year-old quarterback didn’t disappoint.
This offseason, Steelers GM Omar Khan pulled out all the stops, shaking up the roster with bold acquisitions and a win-now mentality. The biggest headline came when Khan landed Rodgers, the four-time MVP, after his short and controversial stint with the Jets came to an unceremonious end.
For Rodgers, this was personal — and it showed.
After a six-month conversation with the Steelers front office, Rodgers chose Pittsburgh over retirement, opting to take one more crack at glory. The decision came after a bitter fallout with the Jets, a franchise that had once believed he was the missing piece.
Instead, injuries, off-field tension, and unmet expectations defined his New York chapter.
“I’m just happy to beat everybody associated with the Jets,” Rodgers said with a smile after Sunday’s win, via the Steelers' YouTube channel. This was a candid, biting remark that revealed more than any press conference during the preseason ever could.
And he didn’t just beat them — he picked them apart.
Rodgers finished with 244 passing yards and four touchdowns, completing 22 of 30 attempts with no interceptions. He looked in command, composed, and perhaps most importantly, hungry.
The Pittsburgh Steelers benefited from Aaron Rodgers' Week 1 revenge game
His chemistry with DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin III was electric. Metcalf, another major offseason addition, bullied the Jets' secondary, while Austin III added explosiveness from the slot, keeping New York’s defense on its heels.
For a franchise that has spent the last few seasons stuck in quarterback purgatory, watching Rodgers operate the offense was nothing short of refreshing. Gone were the stalled drives and late-game confusion. In their place: poise, precision, and points.
As someone who’s followed Rodgers' career closely, this game felt different. There was something about his body language — calm but locked in. Even when the Jets mounted a late fourth-quarter rally, Rodgers never flinched. That veteran confidence is exactly what Pittsburgh has been missing under center.
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Of course, it's just Week 1, and the road to the Super Bowl is long and winding. But if Sunday was any indication, Rodgers has more than enough left in the tank — and he’s fueled by something deeper than just wins and stats. Redemption. Closure. Maybe even revenge.
His time in New York may not have ended the way anyone hoped, but in Pittsburgh, he’s already writing a new chapter. One filled with fire, experience, and a very real shot at a final ring.
Steelers fans have every reason to believe again. And Aaron Rodgers? He’s not just along for the ride — he’s driving the bus.
If he keeps this up, there might be no stopping Pittsburgh this season.