DK Metcalf Makes Bold Aaron Rodgers Claim Against Jets Days Before Steelers’ Week 1 Kickoff Game

The last time Aaron Rodgers walked into MetLife, he lit the place up—274 yards, four touchdowns (a season-high), and one interception in a 32-20 win. Now fast forward, and the scene couldn’t feel more different. Rodgers is 41; he’s rocking black and gold instead of green and white, and the team across from him? Yes, his old squad, the New York Jets.

A lot has gone down between that night and Sunday’s season opener, and let’s just say—Rodgers isn’t exactly walking in with warm, fuzzy feelings about his former team. DK Metcalf, the Steelers‘ new WR1 and Rodgers’ new go-to guy, just revealed that the four-time MVP is eager to get on the field. Though Metcalf confirmed it has nothing to do with his former team, the WR knows that his QB still has a bad taste in his mouth.

“I mean I don’t think his former team has anything to do with it.” Metcalf said. “I think he just loves the game of football, and he’s ready to go out there and put a product out there on the field. I know it is kind of a bad taste left in his mouth from the previous years. He just wants to go out there and win as many games as he can.” Well, that didn’t actually happen in the last couple of seasons—Rodgers going out and winning many games.

The quarterback missed all but a few snaps of his first year in New York in 2023 before going down with a torn Achilles. Year two? He made it back, but the Jets slogged their way to a 5-12 finish, Robert Saleh got the boot, and before long, the team cut ties with Rodgers, too. The Jets’ new regime might’ve turned the page, but it clearly left a bad taste in Rodgers’ mouth. His comments on the Pat McAfee Show made things official.

Rodgers shared that he flew all the way across the country to meet the Jets’ new regime—only to find out they were ready to move on from him. The new GM, Darren Mougey, asked, “You sure you want to play football?” Rodgers shot back, confidently, “I’m interested.” Then the first-year head coach, Aaron Glenn, chimed in with a quick, “We’re going in a different direction.” Rodgers was stunned, no doubt. But that was the end of his two-year-long Jets chapter.

For months, he flirted with the Steelers before eventually signing a one-year, $13.65 million contract, which might be the last season of his career. Fast forward to now, the 41-year-old QB will return to New York to face his former team. With bad taste in his mouth? Well, DK Metcalf thinks so. Rodgers? He might not agree with it.

Aaron Rodgers puts thoughts of revenge against the Jets aside

Aaron Rodgers spoke to reporters on Wednesday ahead of the Steelers’ season opener. But when asked about returning to MetLife to face the Jets, he sidestepped the question. “Yeah, it’s Week 1,” he said when pressed about whether the location or opponent made the game any different. And he didn’t stop there. When asked about how he expected to feel running out of the tunnel at MetLife, Rodgers quipped, “I’d just be excited for Week 1.”

The writing is on the wall: Rodgers isn’t actually looking forward to Sunday’s trip to MetLife as a revenge against the Jets. In fact, the 41-year-old is looking forward to it because it marks the start of his 21st… and perhaps the final season of his career. It’s the second time in three years that Rodgers will start with a new organization after spending 18 seasons in Green Bay. “This is the second new, so it’s the new new,” the QB said.

“I’m loving being here. The way that I’ve been welcomed has been really, really special from top down to the fans to guys in the locker room and sports staff, the men and women that work for this organization has been really, really special.”  Aaron Rodgers is loving being in Pittsburgh. But he’s yet to take the first snap from center Zach Frazier. It’ll be his first snap with the Steelers, against the Jets, and the first one after leading the Jets to a win in last season’s finale.