A curious situation will unfold when the Pittsburgh Steelers face the New York Jets in Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season. Aaron Rodgers was once part of the Big Apple’s team, while Justin Fields played for the black & gold franchise. Now, both quarterbacks have switched sides and will go head-to-head.
Fields previously served as the Steelers’ QB1 during the opening weeks of last season, until Mike Tomlin chose to hand the starting job back to Russell Wilson after his return from a calf injury. That decision pushed the former Chicago Bear out of the picture, and by the end of the campaign, he opted to join the Jets in search of a bigger role.
Rodgers, meanwhile, left the Jets after two underwhelming seasons. In his first year, he couldn’t play due to a torn Achilles tendon, and in his second year, the team showed little sign of sustainable success, which also included Robert Saleh’s departure midseason. Now, both quarterbacks will meet in a matchup filled with intrigue, and Fields shared his thoughts beforehand.
Fields’ admission before facing the Steelers
“There’s no storyline for me. It’s ball for me, so I’ll let you guys kind of handle the storylines, the news lines and stuff like that. In the locker room, we just keep it straight ball,” Fields said in an interview with Rich Cimini of ESPN.
Fields’ feelings on facing the Steelers
“As I told you before, I truly believe everything happens for a reason. Last year I was in a situation where I got to see the game from a different perspective. I learned a lot from Russ (Wilson) and all the other vets, so I have no hard feelings at all (toward the Steelers),” Fields stated.
Have Fields and Rodgers faced each other in the NFL?
Justin Fields and Aaron Rodgers have never faced each other directly in NFL regular season or playoff games. Their only interactions have been limited to handshakes after games when they were in the same division. Sunday at MetLife Stadium will mark their first official meeting.