AARON Rodgers has downplayed the hype around a return to face his former team, the New York Jets, in his season opener for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Rodgers, 41, joined the Steelers on a $19.5m contract during the offseason after spending two years in New York with the Jets prior to his arrival.
Aaron Rodgers has downplayed his return to the face the New York Jets in his season opener for the Pittsburgh Steelers[/caption]
And the veteran quarterback has been handed a high profile return to MetLife Stadium for Sunday’s season opener.
When asked by the media about the enormity of the game and its circumstances, Rodgers closed the door on riling up his former teammates with a blunt three-word message.
Shutting down the hype around the game, Rodgers simply said: “It’s Week One.”
Rodgers was released by the Jets after a difficult two years with the franchise that was riddled with injuries and subpar performances, leaving with a 6-12 record.
The four-time league MVP has wasted no time settling into life in Pittsburgh, despite it being just the third team of his career after spending his first 18 years with the Green Bay Packers.
Speaking on the new team, Rodgers said: “This is the second new, so it’s the new new.
“I’m loving being here. The way that I’ve been welcomed has been really, really special from top down to the fans,.
“To guys in the locker room and sports staff, the men and women that work for this organization has been really, really special.”
NFL WEEK 1 SCHEDULE
(All times ET)
Thur 4 Sept
8.20 pm – Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
Fri 5 Sept
8pm – Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers
Sun 7 Sept
1pm – Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons
1pm – Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns
1pm – Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts
1pm – Las Vegas Raiders at New England Patriots
1pm – Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints
1pm – Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Jets
1pm – New York Giants at Washington Commanders
1pm – Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars
4.05 pm – Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos
4.05 pm – San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks
4.25 pm – Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers
4.25 pm – Houston Texans at Los Angeles Rams
8.20 pm – Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills
Mon 8 Sept
8.15 pm – Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears
Despite keeping lowkey about his return to MetLife, Rodgers did make it clear that he will be familiar with a number of the defensive players he will face at the weekend.
He added: “I know some of the guys.
“Obviously the Williams brothers [Quincy and Quinnen] and Sauce [Gardner] and TA [Tony Adams] and Jamien [Sherwood] and Michael Carter, Micheal Clemons, my buddy Jermaine [Johnson] is coming back from his Achilles.
” I don’t want to forget anybody. Who else do we got over there?
“I mean the young guys, [Braiden] McGregor … Marcelino McCrary-Ball, so yeah, I know the guys pretty well, but they’re running a little different scheme.”
Rodgers spent two years with the Jets[/caption]
