Aaron Rodgers says 'no hard feelings' about Jets exit. His words indicate otherwise

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Aaron Rodgers says 'no hard feelings' about Jets exit. His words indicate otherwise

Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Sun, Sep 7, 2025 ·

6 min read

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The dichotomy of Aaron Rodgers was on full display Sunday behind the podium at MetLife Stadium, minutes after the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback authored his latest come-from-behind victory, albeit the first in his new uniform.

It was merely a Week 1 victory, the first of 17 games, he repeated. Already, he's adopted Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin's "the standard is the standard" idiom. But he wasn't overly shy about the fact he had something to prove to the New York Jets , the organization that essentially told him "thanks but no thanks" after two dramatic years that is probably best characterized as mostly disastrous.

"I was happy to beat everybody associated with the Jets," Rodgers said.

A seemingly revitalized Rodgers – who signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers after a prolonged courtship (the quarterback cited "personal reasons" for the delay) – led his team to a 34-32 victory over his former squad. The 41-year-old threw his counterpunch to Father Time with four touchdown passes and 244 yards on 22-for-30 passing.

It was a day of firsts for Rodgers wearing the black and gold, but it marked his 24th career comeback victory and 35th game-winning drive.

Aaron Rodgers played football at Pleasant Valley High School in Chico, California from 1998 to 2001. During his junior and senior seasons as starting quarterback, Rodgers amassed 4,419 passing yards while helping the Vikings to a 17-7 mark.
(Aaron Rodgers)

California Golden Bears quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks to throw against USC at the Los Angeles Coliseum on Oct. 9, 2004.
(Peter Brouillet, USA TODAY Sports)

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, drafted 24th overall by the Green Bay Packers, poses with family and friends during the 2005 NFL draft at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City on April 23, 2005.
(Chris Trotman, Getty Images)

Aaron Rodgers, the Green Bay Packers' first round pick in the 2005 NFL draft, is introduced by GM Ted Thompson on April 24, 2005.
(USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis. via Imagn Content Services, LLC)

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers drops back to pass against the Dallas Cowboys at Texas Stadium on Nov. 29, 2007.
(Mark J. Rebilas, US PRESSWIRE)

Aaron Rodgers reacts after he threw a 7-yard touchdown to John Kuhn in the third quarter of the 2010 NFC divisional playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome on Jan. 15, 2011. Rodgers threw for three touchdowns and ran for a third in the Packers' 48-21 win.
(Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images)

Aaron Rodgers pumps his fist in the air celebrating the 2010 NFC championship game victory over the Chicago Bears on Jan. 23, 2011 at Soldier Field.
(PC Photo, The Post-Crescent)

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell presents the Super Bowl MVP trophy to Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers at a news conference on Feb. 7, 2011 in Dallas, Texas. The Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 to win Super Bowl XLV.
(Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Aaron Rodgers celebrates the Super Bowl XLV title with Green Bay Packer fans during a Return to Titletown Celebration on Feb. 8, 2011 at Lambeau Field.
(Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

President Barack Obama receives a jersey from quarterback Aaron Rodgers (L) of the Green Bay Packers during a reception for the National Football League Super Bowl XLV champions on the south lawn of the White House on Aug. 12, 2011 in Washington, D.C. The Packers, lead by head coach Mike McCarthy, finished the 2010 season with a winning record of 10-6, and defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 to win the championship.
(Mark Wilson, Getty Images)

Aaron Rodgers plays during the first round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament at Spyglass Hill Golf Course on Feb. 8, 2018.
(Joe Camporeale, USA TODAY Sports)

Danica Patrick and Aaron Rodgers look on during the fourth quarter of Game 2 of the first round of the 2019 NBA playoffs between the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on April 17, 2019. Rodgers has an ownership stake in the NBA team.
(Jeff Hanisch, USA TODAY Sports)

Aaron Rodgers is shown with back up quarterbacks Tim Boyle (left) and Jordan Love during the team's training camp in Green Bay, Wis., on Aug. 24, 2020.
(Mark Hoffman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Aaron Rodgers served as guest host of "Jeopardy!" for two weeks from April 6-15, 2021.
(Carol Kaelson/Jeopardy Productions)

Aaron Rodgers celebrates his rushing touchdown during a 24-14 win against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Oct. 17, 2021.
(Mike De Sisti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and quarterback Aaron Rodgers stand arm in arm late in the fourth quarter of a 24-10 win against the Washington Football Team on Oct. 24, 2021, at Lambeau Field
(Dan Powers / USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is lifted up by guard Lucas Patrick after breaking Brett Favre's franchise record for touchdown passes during a Christmas Day 2021 game against the Cleveland Browns.
(Benny Sieu, USA TODAY Sports)

Aaron Rodgers walks off the field with teammate Randall Cobb following a season-ending loss to the Detroit Lions on Jan, 8, 2023 at Lambeau Field.
(Jeff Hanisch, USA TODAY Sports)

Aaron Rodgers was traded to the New York Jets prior to the 2023 season after spending the first 18 years of his NFL career with the Green Bay Packers.
(Ed Mulholland, USA TODAY Sports)

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers is injured after a sack by Buffalo Bills defensive end Leonard Floyd during his first drive with the Jets on Sept. 11, 2023.
(Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports)

Aaron Rodgers looks on from the sideline during the New York Jets' 30-0 loss against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on Dec. 17, 2023.
(Sam Navarro, USA TODAY Sports)

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) signs a fan’s helmet before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, on Dec. 15, 2024.
(Morgan Tencza, Imagn Images)

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) and wide receiver Davante Adams (17) high-five each other as they walks off the field after a 32-25 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars game at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, on Dec. 15, 2024.
(Corey Perrine, Florida Times-Union)

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) throws his 500th career touchdown pass in the second quarter of the game against the Miami Dolphins on Jan. 5, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J.
(Kevin R. Wexler, NorthJersey.com via USA TODAY Network)

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) celebrates his touchdown pass to New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams (17) (not pictured) during the fourth quarter of their game against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium on Jan. 5, 2025.
(Ed Mulholland, Imagn Images)

The ball used by New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers for his 500th touchdown pass is seen on the sideline during the second quarter of the Jets game against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium on Jan. 5, 2025.
(Ed Mulholland, Imagn Images)

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) walks off the field with wide receiver Davante Adams (17) after a win against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium on Jan. 5, 2025.
(Vincent Carchietta, Imagn Images)

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers fumbles as he is hit by the Houston Texans' Will Anderson Jr. The Texans' Sheldon Rankins (90) returned the fumble for a touchdown as Houston went on to a 30-6 wild-card playoff win at Acrisure Stadium on Jan. 12, 2026.

(Joe Sargent, Getty Images)

"I love beating everybody," Rodgers said. "It doesn't matter who it is."

Before the game, Rodgers caught up with Jets running back and former teammate Breece Hall , who asked him how it felt to be back at MetLife facing his former team. Rodgers quickly pointed out that he only played 18 games here. He said the emotions won't be close to what he will experience Week 8 when the Steelers host the Green Bay Packers , the team he played for during the first 18 seasons of his storied career.

The last time Rodgers made a debut at MetLife Stadium, it was the most devastating night of his career. Everybody, especially Jets fans, remembers. In his Jets' debut, the first time he didn't wear a Packers jersey to that point, ended four plays into his New York career with a torn Achilles and a lost season that included the firing of Robert Saleh and a 14th consecutive season without a playoff berth for the franchise.

"The energy definitely felt different today," Rodgers said about Sept. 11, 2023, when he took the field to an elated crowd while carrying an American flag. "Anybody who was there could feel that there was a major difference."

As Rodgers took the field at 1:12 p.m. local time Sunday, Jets fans – only a little bit more than half of the crowd – serenaded him with boos. He heard the "cat calls and boo birds."

"I'm not sensitive about that. I respect that. I kind of like that," Rodgers said. "But there were probably people in the organization that didn't think I could play anymore so it was nice to (show) those people I still can."

That was an obvious reference to his offseason meeting with new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn and the new front office. It was conveyed to Rodgers, in his words, that he wasn't right for the direction the Jets wanted to go.

"Yes, that's what (Glenn) did," Rodgers replied when asked about the interaction that he first detailed months ago during a "Pat McAfee Show" appearance.

MORE: Comparing Aaron Rodgers and Justin Fields' stats in Week 1

To have a season taken away, battle back and have a rough season in 2024, he said, was not easy for him to stomach. He gave as much as he could to the Jets. No hard feelings about that, he added. But he didn't necessarily appreciate how the Jets handled the decision by making him fly cross-country to deliver the news they were moving in a different direction.

"That's in the past," the four-time MVP said, "and we're 1-0."

The Athletic columnist and Rodgers biographer Ian O'Connor asked him about his career mission dating back to his high school days of overcoming slights.

"You already wrote about that," Rodgers said.

So was the hype about Rodgers' return overblown? Nope, he said. Did he have something to prove? Also no, apparently.

At times, Rodgers looked like a sitting duck in the pocket and his former Jets teammates made him pay by sacking him four times. Rodgers was still mobile enough to fake a handoff and roll to the right and lead Jaylen Warren for an easy walk-in touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter to cut the Steelers' deficit to two points at 26-24.

Four plays later, after a Jets' special-teams blunder that gave Pittsburgh the ball back, he found Calvin Austin III for a go-ahead touchdown. Thanks to some ball luck on the final drive – even though the offense couldn't convert on the plus-side of the field – Pittsburgh kicker Chris Boswell nailed the game-winning field goal from 60 yards out with 63 seconds left on the clock.

Throughout the game, but particularly in the fourth quarter, right guard Isaac Seumalo found Rodgers to be calm and confident. No stage is too big for No. 8, Seumalo said.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) looks for an open teammate, Sunday, September 7, 2025, in East Rutherford.

"I always say the best players have the foundation of just being excellent in the basics, and then the creativity, to improvise on the run," Seumalo told USA TODAY Sports. "He knows how to make the game easy, make it slow, improvise when he needs to. He played great today.

"This is what we expect from him. And he expects that from himself too."

Tight end Jonnu Smith , who caught one of Rodgers' touchdown on a goal-line pop pass with 32 seconds before halftime, said he's long known the type of player Rodgers is but has been impressed by how he comports himself as a teammate.

Rodgers said he's always tried to have meaningful conversations and will talk to guys before, during and after practice. He mentioned how he asked wide receiver D.K. Metcalf (four catches, 83 yards), another Steelers' offseason acquisition, during camp – they shared a bathroom – to give him a report early in game week about how he viewed his matchups and what he wanted to see in the game plan. Rodgers didn't think much about it after the ask. But come Tuesday of last week, Metcalf authored a lengthy text message to him.

"We just wanted to play for each other and play for (number) eight," said Austin III, who had four catches for 83 yards. "When we go out there, we have his full confidence that whatever he's saying, he's getting us in the best position."

The identity of the offense – offensive coordinator Arthur Smith called 30 passes compared to 20 rushes, though Pittsburgh trailed most of the game had something to do with that – will vary week-to-week and is based in selflessness, Austin said.

"It doesn't matter if it's running or passing," he said, "it's playing for each other. I know one thing – our identity is that we're going to be with each other."

Rodgers still holds fond feelings for people associated with the Jets. He named backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor , linebacker Quincy Williams and running backs Braelon Allen and Hall as individuals he was glad he saw on the field before the game. He even warmed up with a ballboy he worked with during his time with the Jets.

Rodgers wondered how he would react once the competitive juices started flowing on the sideline. He thanked his still-anonymous wife and circle of friends for encouraging him to take time with the decision.

"Happy to be a Steeler," Rodgers said, "and happy things went the way they did."

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers leads stunning 34-32 comeback win over Jets

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