It’s always fascinating when the current face of a franchise has nothing but praise for the guy who used to be that face. Especially when they’re about to square off. The upcoming Aaron Rodgers–Green Bay reunion matchup is shaping up to be classic, and even Micah Parsons couldn’t help but get poetic about it.

When asked what it’ll be like trying to defend against Rodgers, Parsons gave an answer you don’t usually hear from him about another quarterback. “I would say don’t let Rodgers get to his spot,” he said.

“When he’s in sync, it’s like poetry. Every throw is on the money, everything has in sync. You have to find ways to disrupt the tendencies, disrupt the spot.” And honestly, Parsons is spot-on.

Rodgers might not move around like he did back in his 2011 MVP days, but his ability to diagnose a defense is still elite. Parsons can collapse a pocket faster than just about anyone, but stopping Rodgers takes more simple pressure. Unless you’re able to read his mind, stopping him is unlikely – you will need a bit of luck on your side.

Remember all that offseason noise about how Steelers coach Mike Tomlin made a blunder bringing in a 41-year-old Rodgers? Well, that narrative didn’t age well. Sure, Pittsburgh’s shown a few cracks, but Rodgers has blown past every expectation. Through seven games, he’s thrown for 1,270 yards and 14 touchdowns. He is on pace to throw 40 TDs by the end of the year.

And Rodgers, for his part, has high respect for Parsons. “I saw Hall of Fame potential. Obviously, he’s fulfilled that. He’s an incredible player, one of the rare guys overall in the 21 years I’ve been a part of it, 18 as a starter, that you’ve got to account for on every play,” he said.

“Just loved his motor, constant, loved his attitude, seemed to really love football, which I’ve always gravitated towards. I’m just thinking this guy’s going to be in the Hall of Fame, let’s jersey swap, that would be pretty cool,” Rodgers added as he recalled asking Parsons for his jersey after their 2022 matchup between the Packers and the Cowboys at Lambeau Field.

So yeah, plenty of storylines heading into this one. But if you’re looking for a dramatic “Rodgers revenge” narrative, you might want to let that one go.

Aaron Rodgers is not looking for revenge

Turns out, Rodgers isn’t holding any grudges toward the team he called home for nearly two decades. Drafted by the Packers in 2005, he left in 2023 after realizing the Jordan Love era was about to begin.

“I don’t have any animosity toward the organization,” the quarterback said. “Obviously, I wish that things had been better in our last year there, but I have a great relationship with a lot of people still in that organization, and this is not a revenge game for me.”

Not exactly the fiery quote the headlines were hoping for, but that’s very on brand for Rodgers. Sure, he probably wishes his Green Bay exit had been a little cleaner, but after watching Love develop behind him for three seasons, he knew the writing was on the wall. The Packers didn’t betray him; they were just doing what every franchise eventually has to do for the future.

After three years of fending off Jordan Love, he knew Love was ready to take over. He saw it coming. Love’s job was always to replace the four-time MVP one day, and it came three years after he was drafted. And clearly, Rodgers isn’t bitter about it. As he shouldn’t be.

“What do I got to be avenging here? They made me a ton of money. I grew up there, spent some of the best years of my life there. I’ve got nothing but love for the organization,” Rodgers added. Honestly, watching it as a reunion instead of a rivalry might make it even better.