No One Knew What To Expect From Aaron Rodgers In Week 1. Certainly Not This.

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Last spring, Aaron Rodgers took months to determine whether and wherever he would play during nan 2025 NFL season.

Then nan play began Sunday. And playing for nan Pittsburgh Steelers, Rodgers instantly looked for illustration nan early Hall of Fame backmost who'd erstwhile poked holes successful defenses passim nan league, and small for illustration nan 1 who'd struggled done past season.

Facing nan New York Jets, nan aforesaid squad that unceremoniously told Rodgers his services were nary longer wanted past winter, nan 41-year-old backmost — nan league's oldest progressive subordinate — threw 4 touchdowns to 4 different receivers by early successful nan 4th fourth of nan play opener.

That unsocial was notable — he had conscionable 1 crippled pinch 4 touchdown passes each past season. But Rodgers wasn't done.

With nan Steelers trailing 32-31, Rodgers and Pittsburgh sewage nan shot backmost pinch 3:13 remaining successful nan 4th quarter, 81 yards from nan extremity zone. Seven plays later, aided by 2 agelong completions from Rodgers, and a walk interference drawn connected different of his passes, nan Steelers moved into position for a game-winning section extremity to triumph 34-32.

Rodgers completed 22 of his 30 passes for 244 yards, and while he was sacked 4 times, he didn't propulsion an interception. He connected pinch nan team's different notable violative offseason signing, DK Metcalf, 4 times for a team-high 83 yards.

The crippled featured efficaciously a switch of quarterbacks neither squad wanted aft past season. Justin Fields, who started nan first period successful Pittsburgh past twelvemonth earlier losing his occupation to Russell Wilson, besides looked revived while completing 16 of his 22 passes for 218 yards and a touchdown and moving for 2 touchdowns, arsenic well.

Rodgers has suggested this could beryllium nan last NFL play of his career, which includes a Super Bowl title and 4 Most Valuable Player honors. His limb has regularly been 1 of nan league's strongest, yet diminution successful capacity successful caller years, mixed pinch a slew of off-field headlines derived from his individual stances, had near only a fewer teams willing successful signing Rodgers during nan offseason.

Through additions that included adding Metcalf and protect backmost Jalen Ramsey successful nan offseason, Pittsburgh made moves to position itself arsenic a contender successful nan AFC. The biggest adaptable was Rodgers. Through 1 game, he was their biggest asset.

Andrew Greif

Andrew Greif is simply a sports newsman for NBC News Digital. 

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