The Pittsburgh Pirates brought in Aaron Rodgers to spark their stagnant offense, and that’s exactly what he did.
Despite not playing a single snap all preseason, Rodgers hit the ground running in his Steelers debut on Sunday. After Pittsburgh’s defense allowed a Nick Folk field goal on the first possession of Week 1’s road game against the New York Jets, Rodgers immediately responded by leading the Steelers on a touchdown drive on their first possession of the season.
The four-time NFL MVP completed the scoring drive with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Ben Skowronek, giving Pittsburgh an early 7-3 lead in its eventual 34-32 victory at MetLife Stadium. Rodgers finished the day with 244 passing yards and a league-high four passing touchdowns, getting revenge on his former team and looking like his old self again.
The touchdown ended a lengthy drought for the Steelers, as it was their first opening drive touchdown in Week 1 since Sept. 7, 2008, exactly 17 years before.
That game started with a seven-yard touchdown run from Pittsburgh running back Willie Parker, who scored three touchdowns in a 38-17 rout of the Houston Texans. It was a sign of things to come for the Steelers, who went on to win the Super Bowl that year.
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Pittsburgh hasn’t won a championship since then despite making 10 playoff appearances and never finishing with a losing record in the interim. The Steelers are hoping a 41-year-old Rodgers — a Super Bowl champion with big-game experience — can get them over the hump this season.
While there’s still a long way to go, Rodgers is already off to a great start with his new team. If Week 1 is any indication, Pittsburgh’s offense will be much more potent than the one that averaged just 14.2 points per game over its final five games last season (all losses).
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Featured image via Wendell Cruz/Imagn Images