There is no denying the main reason why the matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers will draw a lot of eyeballs for Sunday Night Football.
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For the first time since the Packers traded Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets in 2023, the four-time NFL MVP will head-to-head with the team he won Super Bowl XLV with for the 2010 season. (Ironically, the Packers defeated the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.)
Both teams could use a win on Sunday night at Acrisure Stadium.
The 4-2 Steelers are coming off a 33-31 loss on Thursday Night Football to the Cincinnati Bengals, and want to keep pace with a 1.5-game lead for first place in the AFC North. The 4-1-1 Packers are trying to keep a narrow lead in the NFC North over the 5-2 Detroit Lions.
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During his news conference on Monday, Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur didn’t want to focus on the real reason the league schedule makers wanted to make the game a primetime affair.
He praised Rodgers but said the Packers are focused on beating the Steelers, not their former quarterback.
“We’re playing the Pittsburgh Steelers, who happen to have Aaron Rodgers,” LaFleur said via the NFL’s website. “It’s as simple as that. That is for you guys to talk about. Granted, we’ve got a lot of respect and love for Aaron. What he’s done here, I mean he’s a Hall of Famer.
“I know our past together, we had a lot of great moments, but this game is not about that. It’s about going to Pittsburgh, ‘Sunday Night Football’, our guys will be jacked up, their guys will be jacked up. It’s about the Green Bay Packers versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. That’s for you guys to talk about, all those other storylines.”
LaFleur noted that many of the current players on the roster weren’t with Rodgers in 2022.
“I don’t even know if many of these guys played with him,” LaFleur said. “There’s a few guys but I think that’s just — it’s for you guys.”
After a shaky season in 2024, coming back from a torn Achilles in 2023, Rodgers looked more like his old self in Green Bay through the first six games.
Rodgers, 41, has thrown for 1,270 yards, 14 touchdowns and five interceptions. He threw for 249 yards four touchdowns and two interceptions in the Steelers’ loss on Thursday night.
LaFleur appeared wise with his conservative remarks. Rodgers doesn’t need more bulletin board material before Sunday night’s game.
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