Aaron Rodgers Comes Up Short in Pittsburgh

 By Eric Goska

Sunday in Pittsburgh, Aaron Rodgers became the 24th ex-Packer
to throw a pass against his former team.
(photo by Chip Manthey)

Aaron Rodgers matched wits with his previous employer in prime time and came away empty-handed. The league’s elder statesman – he’ll turn 42 in December – played every offensive snap as his Steelers succumbed to the visiting Packers 35-25 at Acrisure Stadium.

The game, an intriguing matchup when the schedule was released, took on an added dimension when Rodgers signed with Pittsburgh in June. Sunday night, the four-time NFL MVP who spent 18 seasons with the Packers added his name to the list of those who played both for and against the Green and Gold.

Suiting up against Green Bay after having played there occurs more often than one might think. Excluding 1939 and 1951, at least one ex-Packer has returned to play against his former team every season since 1922.

Emmett Keefe was the first. The 5-foot-10, 195-pounder opened at left guard for the Packers against the Chicago Staleys on Nov. 27, 1921. Ten months later, he started at the same position for the Rock Island Independents when they hosted Green Bay on Oct. 1, 1922.

Keefe, a lineman in the early days of pro football, went largely unnoticed. Rodgers, a quarterback headed for Canton, cannot escape the spotlight.

Brett Favre warms up before facing the Vikings in 2007.
(photo by Eric Goska)

In Pittsburgh, Rodgers became the first Packers quarterback since Brett Favre in 2010 to compete against his old team. He is one of 24 players to have played for and then returned to throw a pass against the Green and Gold.

One small aside, before we continue. For this article, we are considering only those who played in at least one regular-season game for the Packers. So players such as Rick Mirer (active but did not play in 1998) or Aaron Brooks (active but did not play in 1999) do not qualify.

So, with that out of the way, how did Rodgers’ performance stack up? It was a tale of two halves, one in which he was forced to carry the offensive load in the final two quarters.

Rodgers compiled a passer rating of 101.5 by completing 24 of 36 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns. He connected with nine different receivers with his favorite target, D.J. Metcalf, hauling in five for 55 yards.

In the first half, Rodgers could pick and choose when to throw as Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell churned out 81 yards rushing on 15 carries (5.4 average). The veteran quarterback completed 11 of 15 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown (113.8 rating).

But as Jordan Love and the Packers’ offense found their footing – Green Bay scored on five of its six second-half possessions – Rodgers was forced to pass more frequently. His ground game all but gone (3 carries for 12 yards), Rodgers fired 21 passes, completing 13 for 117 yards and a score (92.8 rating).

The bulk (70) of Rodgers’ second-half yardage came in the final four minutes after the Packers had gone up 35-19. Rodgers zipped a 21-yard scoring pass to Roman Wilson, but Green Bay drained the final two minutes, seven seconds to close out the game.

Rodgers and the Steelers converted only one of 10 third downs, missing their last nine in a row. On six of those occasions, Pittsburgh needed 10 or more yards to gain a fresh set of downs.

In launching 36 throws, Rodgers became the 13th former Packer to throw at least 15 passes in a game against his former team. In coming up short, the California native failed to join Mike Tomczak (1992), Ty Detmer (1997) and Brett Favre (twice in 2009) as quarterbacks who returned to defeat the Packers.

Extra Point
Red Smith was the first ex-Packer to throw a pass against his old team. On Nov. 22, 1931, Smith failed to connect with Hap Moran late in the third quarter of a 14-10 loss to Green Bay in the Polo Grounds.

Extra Point
Twenty-four ex-Packers returned to throw at least one pass against their former team: Red Smith (1), Bo Molenda (1), Cy Casper (4), Swede Johnston (1), Harry Mattos (3), Frank Balasz (1), Arnie Herber (6), Bobby Thomason (42), Babe Parilli (3), Tobin Rote (85), Lamar McHan (40), John Roach (10), Dennis Claridge (11), Don Horn (33), Scott Hunter (39), Mike Tomczak (21), Mark Brunell (118), Ty Detmer (43), Don Majkowski (32), Craig Hentrich (1), Matt Hasselbeck (120), Terry Glenn (1), Brett Favre (126) and Aaron Rodgers (36).

High-Yield Returns
Former Packers quarterbacks who compiled a passer rating of 100 or more points against the Packers in a regular-season game (minimum 20 pass attempts)

Date                   Quarterback     Rating   Team            Result
Oct. 5, 2009        Brett Favre            135.3       Vikings          GB lost, 23-30
Nov. 1, 2009       Brett Favre            128.6       Vikings          GB lost, 26-38
Oct. 5, 1958        Tobin Rote            102.5        Lions             GB tied, 13-13
Oct. 26, 2025     Aaron Rodgers     101.5        Steelers         GB won, 35-25