QB Aaron Rodgers did not sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers (or anyone, for that matter) before the Steelers unveiled their 2025 schedule. That led to some interesting decisions made by the NFL when it came to scheduling the Steelers. They play Rodgers\u2019 previous two teams, the New York Jets and the Green Bay Packers.<\/p>\n
The Steelers head to New York to take on the Jets in Week 1. In Week 8, the Steelers welcome the Packers to Pittsburgh. The big difference in terms of the schedule? The Steelers-Jets matchup is a 1 PM kickoff, while the Packers game will be on Sunday Night Football.<\/p>\n
Why the difference, though? Well, according to NFL VP of Broadcast Planning and Scheduling Mike North, the league doesn\u2019t know if Rodgers will be the Steelers\u2019 quarterback<\/a>. So that does make the Jets game a little less appealing. But the Packers game? That\u2019s got appeal.<\/p>\n \u201cIf they knew for certain Aaron Rodgers was going to play for the Steelers, they might\u2019ve done something different with the Week 1 Steelers-Jets matchup,\u201d North said, according to ESPN\u2019s Brooke Pryor in an X\/Twitter post on Thursday<\/a>. \u201cThe Week 8 SNF game vs. Packers was slated for primetime [because] it\u2019s interesting no matter what.\u201d<\/p>\n There is still an interesting storyline regardless of who the Steelers\u2019 quarterback is in Week 1 against the Jets. After all, former Steelers QB Justin Fields is now with the Jets. But he only started six games in 2024 for the Steelers, who eventually limped into the playoffs and finished their season on a five-game losing streak. Meanwhile, the Jets were a mess, firing head coach Robert Saleh midseason. It\u2019s an interesting matchup, but it\u2019s not a prime-time matchup without Aaron Rodgers. If Rodgers signs, then it\u2019s got all the makings of a truly petty revenge game<\/a>.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Week 8 matchup between the Steelers and the Packers is between two of the league\u2019s most storied franchises.<\/p>\n \u201cIf Aaron is the quarterback, it\u2019s a great story,\u201d North said per Tribune-Review Steelers reporter Joe Rutter<\/a>. \u201cIf Aaron\u2019s not the quarterback, it\u2019s still Packers-Steelers. We tried to play it down the middle.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s a matchup between four-time Super Bowl winners in Green Bay (and nine other league championships, pre-Super Bowl era) and six-time Super Bowl winners in the Steelers. The Packers have the most league trophies when you count both eras. The Steelers are tied for the most Super Bowl wins in the modern era. It\u2019s a matchup steeped in NFL history.<\/p>\n And the last time these two teams faced off, it went down to the wire. In 2023, the Steelers escaped with a 23-19 win after S Damontae Kazee picked off Packers QB Jordan Love\u2019s last-second throw<\/a>. You know that Love will want revenge, even if Kazee isn\u2019t in Pittsburgh anymore.<\/p>\n While the league would love it, storyline-wise, if Aaron Rodgers signs with the Steelers, NFL officials build the team\u2019s schedule on who they know is there. And head coach Mike Tomlin and company are enough to get four primetime games, including against the Packers.<\/p>\n \u201cThe schedule was built for Coach Tomlin and the Steelers,\u201d North said per Rutter<\/a>. \u201cIf Aaron decides to play, the Steelers games become a little more interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n