National Football League: Packers Praise Aaron Rodgers Ahead of Reunion
Updated Oct. 23, 2025, 11:44 a.m. ET
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Matt LaFleur’s slight smile grew wider as he talked about Aaron Rodgers. Initially, his grin was subtle as he reminisced about collaborating on the Packers’ offense during an offseason during the COVID-19 pandemic. LaFleur shared that, as a young head coach, he was careful not to dictate to the star quarterback, saying, “This is how we’re going to do things,” since Rodgers had already accomplished so much in his career. However, by the time LaFleur was asked about how the 41-year-old Rodgers is performing with the Steelers this season, his smile turned into a beaming expression. “He looks like he can still do anything,” LaFleur remarked during Wednesday’s press conference at Lambeau Field. “What surprises me is that for such an old man, he’s still moving around pretty well, too.”
Aaron Rodgers has had a strong start with the Steelers, highlighted by a four-touchdown game in Week 7 against the Bengals. (Photo by Jeff Moreland/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
A couple of hours later, outside the Packers’ locker room after practice, Jordan Love also radiated positivity. Love noted that on Sunday night, when his Packers (4-1-1) face the Steelers (4-2) in Pittsburgh, it would be a matchup of him against Pittsburgh’s defense, and Rodgers against Green Bay’s defense — not just him against Rodgers, whom he spent his early NFL years backing up.
A reporter reminded Love that Rodgers had used a similar line before big quarterback matchups.
“Did he?” Love replied with a smile.
As Green Bay prepares to face Rodgers for the first time, both LaFleur and Love expressed genuine appreciation for him. They talked about their strong relationships with the former Packers legend. Hired in 2019, LaFleur coached Rodgers for the last four seasons of the QB’s 18-year career in Green Bay ph tala 888 casino. Love served as Rodgers’ backup for his first three seasons (2020-22) before becoming the starter after the veteran was traded to the New York Jets in April 2023.
And they aren’t alone in holding fond memories of Rodgers. Cornerback Keisean Nixon’s first season with the Packers coincided with Rodgers’ last (2022). The former undrafted free agent initially “hated” Green Bay; he struggled to connect with his teammates. However, Rodgers helped him adjust. “Aaron used to always say, ‘Why are you always so mad and angry?’” Nixon recalled from his locker. “He made me give him a hug. It became our thing. Our relationship grew over time. We still talk and communicate, and I appreciate him for that.”
LaFleur highlighted that Rodgers, at 41, is still playing high-level football for the Steelers. The four-time MVP has completed 68.6% of his passes for 1,270 yards and 14 touchdowns (tied for fourth) with five interceptions through six games. phdream22 com login His 8.6% touchdown rate leads the NFL, while his 109.0 passer rating ranks ninth overall. Rodgers threw for a season-high 249 passing yards and matched a season-high four touchdowns in Pittsburgh’s recent loss to Cincinnati.
“The arm strength is still there. You especially saw it on the Hail Mary,” LaFleur commented. “This guy is just extremely accurate. If you give him just a sliver of light, he can fit the ball in there.”
LaFleur then discussed Rodgers’ intelligence as a quarterback. “One of the things I thought he did as well as anyone is understanding the importance of cadence,” he noted. “In my opinion, there’s no one like him in the history of the game regarding his ability to create free plays. There was a lot of give and take in terms of what we were going to do offensively, and we worked through that process. You can only achieve that by spending a lot of time together, so we had a lot of back and forth. I think we reached a really good spot in our relationship wowph .com.”
LaFleur added that Rodgers was very supportive of Love, who mentioned that the 10-time Pro Bowler welcomed him with “open arms” as his future successor pwin 777.com. “Being a first-round pick, having A-Rod here, there were a lot of question marks,” Love stated. He shared that he learned a great deal from Rodgers’ approach, footwork, and cadence during their time together. “We send each other texts occasionally,” he revealed. “A lot of it is just wishing each other good luck throughout the season. A-Rod texted me about some of the plays we were running and commented on my footwork, which was great to hear from him. I have so much respect for him. Whenever he gives me pointers, that’s the kind of feedback you want from a legend like that. We obviously have a great relationship.”
“I’m excited to see him on Sunday and go against him.”
This sentiment seems to be mutual. Rodgers referred to Love as a “great kid” and “one of the real good guys in the league.” He also told Steelers media that he doesn’t view Sunday’s matchup as a revenge game. Though the game won’t carry as much emotional weight as it would if it were at Lambeau Field, Rodgers acknowledged that his feelings toward the Packers organization have evolved over time. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder, maybe. I have a lot of great memories from my time there, especially with the fans,” Rodgers shared on Wednesday. “I’m grateful for my time there. Of course, I would have loved to ride off into the sunset after a Super Bowl win, but that’s not how the league goes sometimes.”
“I knew the writing was on the wall when Jordan was picked… I won MVP the first two years he was with us, but I understood that at some point, there would be a change, and if I wanted to continue playing, it would likely have to be elsewhere. 777 peso online casino So, I understand the situation. We live and we learn. I’m excited to see many of those people.”
And they are also looking forward to seeing him too.
What are your thoughts on the upcoming matchup between the Packers and the Steelers?
