There’s a lot of time left in the 2025 NFL season, but the Pittsburgh Steelers’ decision to sign Aaron Rodgers might just pay off. Rodgers led the Steelers to a touchdown on his first drive with the team, ending a drought that extended all the way back to 2023.
Rodgers and the Steelers took control of the ball for their first drive of the 2025 NFL season with 9:15 on the clock in the first quarter. Ten plays later, Rodgers found wideout Ben Skowronek in the end zone for the team’s first touchdown of the year.
The score marked the first time since 2023 the Steelers scored a touchdown on their opening drive. That’s right, the Steelers failed to score a touchdown on every single one of their first drives last season. The team came away with a few field goals on first drives last year, but never managed to step foot in the end zone.
The drought carried all the way back to Week 16 of the 2023 NFL season. That was the last time the Steelers managed an first-drive touchdown in a game. That drive lasted just two plays, as Mason Rudolph hit George Pickens with an 86-yard touchdown pass.
If you needed more evidence that the Rodgers-Steelers partnership might work, the touchdown also marked the first time the Steelers have scored on a season-opening drive since 2008. Pittsburgh went on to win the Super Bowl that season.
Rodgers is looking to reverse his luck after going 5-12 with the New York Jets last season. Rodgers turned in decent stats despite the team’s struggles, throwing for 28 touchdowns against 11 interceptions.
Kicking off the 2025 NFL season with a touchdown must have felt good considering that. It probably felt even better for Rodgers considering Sunday’s touchdown came against the Jets, the team that let him go in the offseason.