Week 8 presents the nation with an appetizing matchup in Pittsburgh, where a reunion of old friends is guaranteed to own a place in the headlines.
The Green Bay Packers head to western Pennsylvania to take on Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football, Rodgers' first game against his former team since he forced his way out to the New York Jets in 2023. Packers coach Matt LaFleur knows what awaits his team in the Steel City but isn't interested in discussing his past with Rodgers.
"We're playing the Pittsburgh Steelers, who happen to have Aaron Rodgers," LaFleur told reporters on Monday. "It's as simple as that. That is for you guys to talk about.
"Granted, we've got a lot of respect and love for Aaron. What he's done here, I mean he's a Hall of Famer. I know our past together, we had a lot of great moments, but this game is not about that. It's about going to Pittsburgh, Sunday Night Football, our guys will be jacked up, their guys will be jacked up. It's about the Green Bay Packers versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. That's for you guys to talk about, all those other storylines."
The Sunday night window has already featured one juicy reunion storyline involving the Packers: Green Bay's Week 4 trip to Dallas, where recently acquired edge rusher Micah Parsons faced his former team for the first time.
That game ended in a 40-40 tie. LaFleur is aiming to ensure his team comes away with a victory this time around with the understanding Rodgers will own a key place in his team's preparation and game plan, but also an expectation Rodgers won't fuel an emotional element with his Packers.
"I don't even know if many of these guys played with him," LaFleur said. "There's a few guys but I think that's just -- it's for you guys."
LaFleur is largely correct in his quick estimation of roster carryover from Rodgers' last season (2022) to now. A quick scan of the roster reveals roughly a dozen players currently on the Packers who were members of the 2022 team, a squad that now represents Green Bay's efforts to turn over the roster toward a younger future.
Jordan Love was seated behind Rodgers on the depth chart while wideouts Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson were rookies. The same was true for linebacker Quay Walker, and current other key Packers (Josh Myers, Elgton Jenkins, Rashan Gary, Isaiah McDuffie, Devonte Wyatt, Zach Tom, Sean Rhyan, Kingsley Enagbare) were still playing on rookie deals back in 2022.
If anything, their memories of Rodgers are likely associated with looming change and perhaps even a desire to turn the page toward a new era with Love. Those days are far behind them now.
Still, the pregame build-up will undoubtedly include recollections of Rodgers' 18 years spent in Green Bay, including his final four playing under the direction of LaFleur. The coach will ignore the discussion and keep his focus on what matters most in 2025: winning the next game on the schedule.
"I'm gonna talk about how we -- just like we do every week, what is our blueprint?" LaFleur said. "What are our keys in order to go to Pittsburgh, which is a damn good football team and a really tough, hostile environment, and try to play our best? Because we haven't put our best yet to date, so we've got a lot of work to do."
