For the Pittsburgh Steelers, this week’s game against the Green Bay Packers meant a little more with Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback. Rodgers established himself as an all-time great with the Packers. This was his first time playing against them, but unfortunately, the Steelers lost. Going into this matchup, Rodgers and Packers quarterback Jordan Love expressed interest in doing a jersey swap after the game. While that didn’t happen, Love and Rodgers did share a conversation postgame, and that jersey swap is still in the works.
“It was quick,” Love said after the game via the team’s YouTube channel. “Just said good game, keep going for the rest of the season. Want him to stay healthy. I got a lot of love for him. It was very fun to go against him and told him that I needed that jersey. We’re gonna exchange those at a later time.”
Jersey swaps are common signs of respect among players. For Rodgers and Love, that will likely be a special moment. Love was drafted to replace Rodgers, but the veteran didn’t hold it against him. The two were teammates for three years, establishing a good relationship. While it might seem like Rodgers would hold some animosity towards Love, that’s not the case.
It’s unclear why they didn’t trade jerseys after the game. There could have been outside variables that prevented that. For instance, the Steelers wore new throwback uniforms for the first time against the Packers. When Love initially brought the idea up, he wondered if that would stop Rodgers from being able to participate.
Also, Rodgers stated that the Packers haven’t always been keen on jersey swapping. However, that exchange should happen at some point. There’s no telling when, but hopefully, it can still feel special for both quarterbacks.
Love will probably feel a little happier than Rodgers, though, considering that his team won the game. He outdueled his former mentor, throwing for 360 yards and three touchdowns. Love proved that he can be trusted with the reins. He’s not Rodgers, but he’s becoming a solid quarterback in his own right.
