Aaron Rodgers, Justin Fields swap teams as Steelers visit Jets in Week 1 of 2025 NFL season

Thursday's reports that Aaron Rodgers would be signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers cemented one of the great uncertainties of the offseason. But the long-awaited news also sets up a couple of key games - including an early matchup between Rodgers and his former team.

Week 1 of the 2025 season will have some fire, as Pittsburgh travels to face the New York Jets. Rodgers will kick off his Steelers tenure against his former team, months after the Jets decided to move on without him.

Intriguingly, Rodgers also will be facing off against Jets quarterback Justin Fields - the former Steelers QB, who signed a two-year deal with New York in March. With Fields brought in to replace Rodgers and Rodgers replacing Fields, the quarterbacks will make their debuts with their recently swapped teams in the same game.

It'll be a loaded way to start the year - and one that the league had in mind when making the schedule.

Here are a few other notable matchups from Rodgers' first season in Pittsburgh:

Week 4: Steelers vs. Vikings - in Ireland

After 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, and nine division titles, Rodgers made a lot of enemies in the NFC North. This year, the quarterback will face one of these former rivals, the Minnesota Vikings, across the pond. The Steelers are the designated team for the the NFL's first-ever game in Ireland, held in Dublin's Croke Park, and the Vikings will be joining them.

This matchup will also mark just the third time that Rodgers has played abroad: The veteran quarterback has played twice in London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, once as a Packer in 2022 and once as a Jet last season - ironically, against the Vikings. (Minnesota won the game 23-17.)

Week 8: Packers at Steelers

This season, Rodgers will face not one, but both of his former teams. The Steelers quarterback will host the Packers about halfway through the season.

It'll mark the first time he's faced Green Bay since leaving for New York; the Jets did not play the Packers in Rodgers' two seasons there. It will also be the first time he's gone head-to-head with Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love, Rodgers' former backup, and now starter.

Importantly, this game is set to be in prime time - a very intentional decision from the league.

Week 12: Steelers at Bears

Of all of Rodgers' NFC North rivals, the Packers' rivalry with the Chicago Bears has the most storied history, dating back to 100 year ago. That rivalry only got stronger during Rodgers' tenure: In 18 seasons with Green Bay, the quarterback led the Packers to an unprecedented run of wins over the Bears, including 10 season sweeps.

After not squaring up against Rodgers' Jets over the past two years, the Bears will try to take revenge against Rodgers now, as the Steelers travel to Chicago in Week 12.

Week 16: Steelers at Lions

The final former NFC North rival that Rodgers will face in the regular season is the Detroit Lions, who the Steelers will travel to play towards the end of the year. Rodgers has also not played Detroit since leaving the Packers, but will get a chance to try and tame the Lions as the season winds towards the playoffs.