Aaron Rodgers isn’t calling it a “revenge game.” As the Pittsburgh Steelers gear up to face the Green Bay Packers, the team that drafted him back in 2005, Rodgers made it clear this matchup isn’t about payback, brushing off any drama.

But Rodgers’ connection to Green Bay clearly still runs deep. In a tweet that caught fans’ attention, he said, “Damn near everything good in my life is because of my football career, and my football career started there and will one day end there.”

Rodgers still sees Green Bay as the place where it all began and, someday, where it’ll all come full circle. Drafted 24th overall by the Packers in 2005, Rodgers spent nearly two decades shaping the franchise’s identity. He took over from Brett Favre in 2008 and became the face of the team for 15 seasons.

Then came the 2023 trade to the New York Jets, which officially handed the keys to Jordan Love, the team’s 2020 first-round pick. Now, wearing black and gold with Pittsburgh, Rodgers sounds like a man at peace with his journey. He is ready for one last chapter. But never forgetting where it all started.

After beating the Jets in Week 1, the team where he spent two rough, injury-filled seasons, Rodgers said it felt “nice” to get that win but added that it “didn’t come close to feeling how it’s going to feel playing Green Bay because that’s 18 years of my career.”

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin isn’t expecting Rodgers to treat this matchup any differently, though. “Aaron prepares the same every week,” Tomlin said Tuesday. “That’s what makes him who he is.”

Rodgers’ last game at Lambeau came on January 8, 2022. A 20-16 loss to the Detroit Lions. That day, he threw a touchdown and an interception, closing what turned out to be his final chapter in Green Bay. He had played that entire season with a broken thumb on his throwing hand, pushing through the pain as the Packers rallied from a 5-8 record to the brink of the playoffs. But a Week 18 loss to the Lions ended those hopes and quietly marked the end of Rodgers’ era in Green Bay.

Rodgers’ 2025 season and what lies ahead

At 41, Rodgers is thinking beyond the field. In an interview with Pat McAfee, he said he’s ready to leave the spotlight completely once he retires. “I don’t want the attention — I know that’s a narrative out there,” Rodgers said in June. “When this is all done, it’s Keyser Söze. You won’t see me. I don’t want to live a public life. I’m not gonna be in the public eye. When this is done, I’m done.”

It’s a rare stance in today’s NFL, where most retired players jump into TV, podcasts, or brand deals. But Rodgers has always been different. In 2023, he famously spent four nights in total darkness during a retreat in Oregon. The retreat became part of his story, proof that when Rodgers says he wants to disappear, he means it.

“The Steelers didn’t need to put any extra years on that or anything. This was really about finishing with a lot of love and fun and peace for the career that I’ve had. I’ve played 20 freakin’ years. It’s been a long run and I’ve enjoyed it. What better place to finish than with one of the cornerstone franchises in the NFL with Mike Tomlin, great leadership, and a city that expects you to win?”

Even after a tough Week 7 loss to the Bengals, Rodgers’ presence has completely reshaped Pittsburgh’s offense. And while the one-year deal suggests this might be his last dance, the way things are going, both sides might want an encore.

The Steelers still don’t have a long-term plan at quarterback, and with the 2026 NFL Draft being hosted in Pittsburgh, it’s possible the team could draft its next big name while Rodgers mentors him through his final season.