Aaron Rodgers Holds No 'Animosity' for Packers, 'Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder'

There don't appear to be any hard feelings between Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers heading into a Week 8 matchup with his former team.

"I don't have any animosity toward the organization," Rodgers told reporters Wednesday. "Obviously I wish that things had been better in our last year there but I have a great relationship with a lot of people still in that organization. This is not a revenge game for me, I'm just excited to see some of those guys and be on Sunday Night Football again."

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder, maybe? I have a lot of great memories from my time there," he added. "A lot of great interactions with fans over the years."

Meanwhile, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur joked about the 41-year-old quarterback's age while praising his start to the 2025 season.

Rodgers spent the first 18 years of his career with the Packers after they selected him in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft. His tenure with the organization was extremely successful, earning 10 Pro Bowl nods and four MVP awards while leading Green Bay to a Super Bowl title during the 2010 season.

The Packers surprisingly selected Jordan Love in the 2020 draft while Rodgers was still playing at a high level. Although the veteran remained Green Bay's starter for three more years, he was eventually traded to the New York Jets in 2023.

Rodgers' time in New York was marred by a torn Achilles that he suffered in his first game with the team, but he's looked sharp during his first season on the Steelers.

This year, he's completed 68.6 percent of his throws for 1,270 yards and 14 touchdowns compared to five interceptions. Pittsburgh owns a 4-2 record, sitting atop the AFC North standings.

Kickoff between the Steelers and Packers is on Sunday at 8:20 p.m. ET.