Steelers 2x SB Winner Makes Bold Demand From Aaron Rodgers Ahead of MetLife Stadium Return

Aaron Rodgers has witnessed nearly everything in his two-decade-long NFL career. From MVP seasons to a Super Bowl ring. Now at 41, his story takes another turn in black and gold as he prepares for his Pittsburgh debut at MetLife Stadium, the very place where his brief and turbulent Jets tenure began. But whereas Rodgers’ comeback is full of heart, two-time Super Bowl winner Bryant McFadden has put the tone on the bulletin board with a brash ultimatum: no excuses, no slow starts.

McFadden made it clear: excuses are not going to work. “With the experience that Aaron Rodgers has, and it seems like he’s very, very acclimated with this new offense, I don’t expect to see any slow starts,” McFadden added. This season’s performance by Rodgers addresses that requirement. In 2024, he threw for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns. But his 11 interceptions and a 44.7 QBR revealed the rollercoaster playing that often plagued the Jets’ offense last season. Those kinds of uneven games can’t tag along with Rodgers to Pittsburgh. However, Bryant trusts Rodgers’ experience and expects him to stand out on it.

McFadden didn’t stop there. He talked about the defense Rodgers will have around him—guys that aren’t young bucks but veteran pros. ”I think Mike Tomlin believes his experience will help them. You look at DK Metcalf being an experienced guy as well. You look at Pat Freiermuth, you look at Jonnu Smith—they have some experienced skill guys surrounding the quarterback that haven’t been in this rodeo once or twice; they’ve been around for quite some time.” McFadden’s point is clear: the Steelers offense isn’t being built on potential, but on players who’ve shown they know how to get it done in the league.

The Steelers’ characters on their roster will have plenty to discuss when it comes to setting the tone against New York. Sunday’s headliner is DK Metcalf, and the battle with Sauce Gardner is as appealing as a heavyweight fight. But with a four-time MVP putting the football on his arm, Metcalf can still put up big numbers unless Gardner gets extra coverage and help defending him the whole game. Outside of the wideout, Rodgers also has two reliable tight ends to go to, Jonnu Smith, off a career-high 88-884-8 receiving line with Miami, and rebounding from a knee injury.

Pairing him with Pat Freiermuth, who scored seven touchdowns last year behind subpar quarterback play, makes Pittsburgh a good middle-field pairing. Against a Jets defense that surrendered a paltry 192.6 passing yards per game last year, it’s this mix of Rodgers’ coolness and his veteran receivers that provides the Steelers with their best chance of making it through.

MetLife return: Rodgers faces former team

The season opener has more than the weight of a new campaign on its shoulders. Aaron Rodgers returns to MetLife Stadium, where his disastrous tenure with the New York Jets started. The quarterback’s time with the Jets was as tough as it was short. In 2023, he tore his Achilles tendon four snaps into his initial game, a bitter irony that summed up his New York residence before it even had a chance to begin.

Rodgers fought back and played the whole 2024 season, but the Jets folded to a 5-12 record, requiring a franchise rebuild. That revamp came in March, when the Jets and Rodgers agreed mutually to go their separate ways. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini writes, ”both sides believe the separation was for the best,” with New York headed for younger options and Rodgers seeking a competitive stage to close out his career. However, there is no animosity among them.

The quarterback has been kind about talking about his Jets experience, and sources within the league say that the split was not done with any ill will. Instead, Sunday gives him a chance to show the same fan base what they might have witnessed if things had gone differently. For the Steelers, it’s an opportunity to showcase their new quarterback to face off against the team that let him get away, an added subplot to week-one intrigue.