Football icon Aaron Rodgers bridges the gap between multiple NFL eras, yet the Steelers' encounter with him boils down to a single opportunity.
Let me lay it out for you, pal:
PItt's got a juicy tale when it comes to Aaron Rodgers, the oldest cat in the NFL with the most experience among active vets. He's been around the block a few times, hence the long list of acquaintances and adversaries - the Steelers included.
"He didn't buckle under the heat," Coach Tomlin once said, reminiscing about the time when Rodgers faced the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV back in 2011. "We tried to rattle him, but he held his own and kept slinging it." That memorable game ended with the Packers snatching the title and Rodgers waving the Lombardi Trophy high.
Since then, both sides have rolled with the punches. Neither team has made it back to the big dance, dreaming of another Super Bowl showdown. But now, Steelers fans eagerly anticipate a chance to root for Rodgers as his Yang to their Yin, a possibility that will give goosebumps to those who've watched him grow up or crossed swords with him in the League.
Their first tussle? Not exactly a walk in the park for Rodgers. Two of the three interceptions he coughed up wound up in the hands of young gun Beanie Bishop Jr. - an undrafted rookie nickelback who had the audacity to request his prized footballs autographed after the game. Rodgers, always the prickly character, complied, setting the stage for an unexpected encounter between the two at the Steelers' facility during Rodgers' free agency visit.
"He's a character," Bishop confessed. "We were in the middle of a workout, and he thought we were loafing. He razzed us about it, but it was all in good fun."
It's Darius Slay Jr., the cornerback room's grizzled veteran, who might empathize the most with Bishop's interception escapades against Rodgers. Over the years, Slay has shared a division with Rodgers on the Detroit Lions and the same conference with the Philadelphia Eagles.
In 13 career matchups, Slay has yet to snag an interception from him. He lamented missing that opportunity in 2022, when the Eagles squeaked past the Packers by a nose. To pile on the insult, the passes Slay missed were picked off by a journeyman slot cornerback and an upstart safety rookie.
It's safe to say that Slay, Rodgers' admirer turned rival, is a pinch envious of the rookie's accomplishments. Decades in the League without an interception, and a young buck steals the spotlight twice in a single game? Not cool, dude!
Despite the competitive animosity, Rodgers and Slay share mutual respect. Rodgers has been instrumental in boosting Slay's confidence early in his career, showering him with praise for his ability to lock down wideouts wherever they roam.
"Him and Richard Sherman were the first ones to tell me I deserved props for the way I'd shadow receivers," Slay proudly shared. Slay, for his part, collects Packers gear from the past and present, including a prized No. 12 jersey.
Not everyone on the opposite side of Rodgers has been so reverential. Steelers safety DeShon Elliott took a swipe at Rodgers and the Packers during ceremonies after a loss in 2023, when Rodgers quipped about upsetting the Lions that season. Elliott didn't forget the slight as the two teams squared off again in Week 18, their meeting deciding the Packers' playoff fate. Fortunately for the Lions, Elliott and his crew exacted sweet revenge – intercepting Rodgers' last pass as a Packer.
As the newest member of the Steelers' roster, Rodgers faces an uphill battle to fit in with his new teammates, learn the playbook, and healing rifts from the past. Let's see if this 40-something slowpoke can still outfox younger and hungrier defenders like he used to. Strap in, 'cause it's gonna be a wild ride.
The conversation between Beanie Bishop Jr. and Aaron Rodgers, initially tense, transitioned into an unexpected camaraderie, reminding fans of the potential for an intriguing partnership between the two rivals. Despite not snatching an interception from Rodgers in their 13 career matchups, Darius Slay Jr. acknowledges the impact Rodgers had on his early career and admires the rookie's accomplishments in intercepting the esteemed quarterback.
