Aaron Rodgers Hears Familiar Chant As Steelers Lose to Packers

PITTSBURGH — One of the biggest games in former Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers career saw him take on his former team for the first time on Sunday night.

Rodgers, in his first season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, faced off against the Packers in a primetime matchup in Week 8 at Acrisure Stadium, as he battled the team for which he spent his first 18 NFL seasons and led to a Super Bowl victory over Pittsburgh.

He had a solid first half, with the Steelers leading 16-7 off of a late touchdown completion to wide receiver DK Metcalf, but the Packers’ defense stifled the Steelers for just nine points and one more touchdown in the 35-25 victory.

Rodgers finished this matchup by completing 24-of-36 passes, 66.7 percent, for 219 yards and two touchdowns, while taking three sacks.

While the national media, fans of both teams and football fans across the world tuned in for a massive matchup, Rodgers himself didn’t make too much of the game, arguing that them playing in Pittsburgh and not Green Bay kept it more simple.

“Yeah, like I said, it would’ve been different had it been in Lambeau [Field],” Rodgers said. “Good to see a lot of people I grew up with in the league and had time, three hours before the game, I was out there spending time with the guys and I enjoyed that.”

Before the game, Rodgers conversed with people that he had relationships with during that nearly two decades with the Packers, a tenure that ended in four NFL MVPs and victory in Super Bowl XLV.

The game itself may not have been an emotional affair for Rodgers, but those relationships he made did remind him of those great times up in Green Bay.

“Well, this game is about relationships,” Rodgers said. “Some of my dearest friends are not players and the guys who are still over there, I didn’t have much time with many of those guys. I had [Jordan Love] in a room with me for three years, but most of those guys were young guys, other than Rashan Gary, who played with me for a few years.

“So, the guys that I spent 18 years with, the training staff, equipment staff, nutritionists, Connor Lewis, who was in our room for a while. Luke Getsy, who was there. [Luke] Butkus, [Adam] Stenavich, you know. Guys I spent a lot of time with, those friendships are special and it was good to see those guys.”

While Rodgers was sharp in the first half, the Steelers were outscored 28-9 in the second half as they lost their second consecutive game.

“I just feel like we had some discipline issues and some penalties that were unnecessary, and then we aren't going to win a lot of games when we're so bad on third down,” Rodgers said. “(Chris) Bos(well) bailed us out on four incredible kicks, but when you're playing good teams, you need to score touches, and we stalled out in the high red zone.”

A turning point came at the start of the second half. On third-and-8, Rodgers coaxed the Packers offside but no penalty was thrown. Rodgers threw incomplete on what he thought was a free play, Pittsburgh punted and Green Bay drove for the first of three consecutive touchdowns.

“It felt good. It was 16-7” at halftime, Rodgers said. “We had a nice drive there to end the first half, and then, you know, this didn't decide the game, but it seemed like the guy was offsides and they didn't make a penalty call. Then we punt it, and they hit a kind of wild play to 85 (Tucker Kraft) to kind of get back in the game. That was a big momentum turn.”

Rodgers couldn’t turn the momentum back in Pittsburgh’s direction. It was 35-19 when Rodgers threw a too-little, too-late touchdown pass.

“That’s why he’s the GOAT. He’s one of five quarterbacks in the league where you say he’s one of the greatest of all time,” Parsons said. “He’s on that GOAT list next under (Tom) Brady and there’s only a select few guys that you’re going to put right there with him. That’s why he is who he is and that’s why he’s still able to play at a high level.”

This was not a road game for Rodgers and the Steelers, but the Packers fan base came from all over and made the trek to the Steel City, for the historic matchup.

The Packer faithful made their presence known late in the game with the Steelers fans filing out of Acrisure Stadium, chanting “Go Pack Go” until the final whistle, almost becoming the home fans in one of the toughest places to play in the NFL

“I’ve heard that chant for 18 years,” Rodgers said. “Packers fans travel really well. First time in a while I’ve used silent count for a home game. That’s a credit to those Packers fans.”

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