For the first time in the past three seasons, Aaron Rodgers thoroughly enjoyed a New York Jets’ loss on Sunday.
In his first game with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Rodgers passed for 244 yards and four touchdowns, helping put Chris Boswell in position for a career-long 60-yard field goal in the 34-32 win on the Jets’ home field.
“It was nice to win, especially after hearing some of the catcalls,” Rodgers said. “I’m not sensitive about that. I expected that. There were people in the (Jets) organization that didn’t think I could play anymore, so it was nice to remind those people that I still can.”
Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, one of the veterans who embraced Rodgers on the field hours before the game began, sacked Rodgers on his first offensive snap with the Steelers.
But there would be plenty of counterpunches thrown the next four quarters.
“I thought he was game all day,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “But again, you guys asked me last week, ‘Why was I confident?’ That’s why I was confident.”
Rodgers wasted no time getting points on the board, a relatively novel concept to the Steelers. Pittsburgh didn’t score on an opening drive in a game last season.
Rodgers whistled his first TD pass with his third NFL team to Ben Skowronek.
The 41-year-old signed with the Steelers as a free agent months after what he considered an unceremonious exit from the Jets. Following two seasons in New York, Rodgers met with new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn in March and was informed he’d be released. Rodgers said of the February meeting he felt Glenn didn’t act with respect.
“I was happy to beat everybody associated with the Jets,” Rodgers said. “I gave as much as I could to the team. I didn’t have any hard feelings about it not working out. I didn’t maybe appreciate the way it went down in the end, but that’s in the past. And we’re 1-0.”
The four-time NFL MVP now has 507 career TD passes, with a chance to tie or surpass his Packers predecessor Brett Favre (508) next week against the Seattle Seahawks.
