EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ (93.7 The Fan) – “I was happy to beat everybody associated with the Jets,”
Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers after winning the season opener 34-32 against the team that didn’t think he was good enough anymore.
For all of the saying it was just another game and it is just Week 1, it did eventually come out. This meant something more to Rodgers, and really not just beating New York in its home stadium.
“Just wanted to have fun today,” Rodgers said. “I mean I was dreaming about the opportunity to step back on the field in the offseason and wondering how it would feel. Would the juices flow and would it hit my competitive spirit? There
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were a lot of moments that I was on the sideline just to myself thanking my wife and my friends for encouraging me to take time with my decision and that this would be the right decision. I’m happy to be a Steeler and happy things went the way they did today.”
With the running game not going, Rodgers completed 22 of 30 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns with no turnovers and a 136.7 rating. It was the 13th time in his career he threw for four TDs and no picks in a game.
“I just thought he was game all day,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “But again, you guys asked me last week, why was I confident. That's why I was confident. That's what I've been looking at in preparation, and I'm appreciated of it.”
Seven different players caught passes, four different caught touchdowns-running back Jaylen Warren, Ben Skowronek, Jonnu Smith and Calvin Austin. DK Metcalf was the leading receiver in yardage and said it speaks to Rodgers that he had so many different receivers get touches.
Rodgers said even for scoring 34 points, there is so much to correct. He said it was a dream tape for the coaches to get things right against Seattle next Sunday. But today it was about celebrating, beating a former team and getting an opening win.
“We got a freakin’ quarterback who can sling the ball around and deliver,” said Steelers captain Cam Heyward with a big smile on his face. “I know everyone asked what our quarterback would be this year. He was special today. Happy he’s on our side. We’ve played against him before, he’s always diced us up. It’s fun to watch him dice up other people.”
“Tt was nice to win,” Rodgers said. “Especially hearing some of the cat calls out there and the boo birds. I'm not sensitive about that. I expected that. I kind of like that.”
“There were probably people in the organization that didn't think I could play anymore, so it was nice to remind those people I still can.”