PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – The affinity for Aaron Rodgers likely goes back to one game. The biggest game. When Rodgers was spectacular in a 31-25 Super Bowl XLV win over the Steelers in 2011.
Rodgers was pinpoint on the biggest throws, completing 24-39 for 304 yards and three touchdowns. It was touchdown passes of 29 yards to Jordy Nelson and 21 yards to Greg Jennings that gave the Packers a 21-3 second-quarter lead. When the Steelers came back to cut the lead to four, Rodgers took advantage of a Rashard Mendenhall fumble to complete a 38-yard pass on 3rd and 10 and then following a sack, an 8-yard TD to Jennings to push the lead back to 11 in the fourth quarter.
He then answered a Ben Roethlisberger touchdown pass with a 70-yard drive that took 5:19 off the clock leading to a Mason Crosby 23-yard field goal with 2:10 to play.
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It should be considered how good that 2010 Steelers defense was, tops in the NFL in the regular season. This defense gave up only 15 touchdown passes in the regular season all year, Rodgers had three that night. Steelers gave up 14.5 points a game, GB had 31, second most allowed all season. Only Tom Brady and Drew Brees, by one yard, threw for more yards on the Steelers 2010 defense all year than Rodgers did in the Super Bowl.
In three regular season games against the Steelers, Rodgers has worst completion percentage of his career, 56.9%. He’s 1-2 overall in the regular season against the Steelers, throwing for 276 yards with a touchdown and two picks in a 37-15 jets loss at Acrisure Stadium last year.
The body of work speaks to his place in Canton—He’s the highest rated career passer in the history of the game (102.6), 5th all-time in touchdown passes (503), 7th in all-time passing yards (62,952).
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Now the Steelers are banking on him still having some of that magic and an opportunity to compete for a championship again.