PITTSBURGH STEELERS MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 27, 2025

Aaron Rodgers

Packers 35, Steelers 25

Q. How would you describe your emotions right now?

AARON RODGERS: Disappointed. Disappointed that I didn't play better, that we didn't play better, especially in the second half.

Q. What do you feel like a changed in the second half?

AARON RODGERS: I just feel like we had some discipline issues and some penalties that were unnecessary, and then we aren't going to win a lot of games when we're so bad on third down. Bos bailed us out on four incredible kicks, but when you're playing good teams, you need to score touches, and we stalled out in the high red zone.

Q. What can you say about Jordan Love and how far he's come over the years and how he played tonight?

AARON RODGERS: Yeah, I thought J-Love played great. He was super efficient. You know, he didn't get sacked and moved around really well, made some plays outside the pocket. Thought he played outstanding.

Q. Not finishing those drives, is that a carry-over for the offense, you know, especially heading into the second half and you're not able to finish in the first half?

AARON RODGERS: It felt good. It was 16-7. We had a nice drive there to end of the first half, and then, you know, this didn't decide the game, but the one play where I don't know if -- it seemed like the guy was off sides on third and eight and didn't come up with the catch.

They didn't make a penalty call. Then we punt it, and they hit a kind of wild play to 85 to kind of get back in the game. That was like a big momentum turn in the game.

Q. What does an offense have to do to get behind the sticks to be able to overcome that, like you were talking about those third downs in the high red zone?

AARON RODGERS: Yeah, we had too many penalties, too many negative yardage plays. Then I wasn't accurate enough on third down, and we weren't creating enough space. We'll look at the film, and we'll get better, and we got a good team coming next week.

Q. When you look at those, is it more about what are we doing third and long, or what do we do to not get into third and long?

AARON RODGERS: It's either we're having a sack on -- we had a sack on first down on one drive. We had a 15-yard penalties on third and two after the play that went to third and 17. Those aren't high conversion plays.

You know, we got to be better on first and second down. I thought we ran it pretty well at times. Didn't get as much out of the keeper game as we have been. Didn't get as much out of the action game.

Q. From a personal standpoint, is the game kind of what you thought maybe emotionally you would feel against the Packers?

AARON RODGERS: Like I said, it would have been different had it been in Lambeau. It's good to see a lot of people that I grew up with in the league and had time, you know, three hours before the game. I was out there spending time with those guys, and I enjoyed that.

Q. How did you compartmentalize some of the emotions that come with playing? Obviously, like you said, it would have been different if it were in Lambeau, but how do you compartmentalize the conversations you have three hours before the game versus when the game starts?

AARON RODGERS: Well, this game is about relationships, so some of my dearest friends are not players, and the guys who are still over there, you know, I didn't have much time with many of those guys. J-Love in the room with me for three years, but most of those guys were young guys, other than Rashan Gary, who played with me for a few years.

So the guys that I spent 18 years with... training staff, the equipment staff, nutritionists, Connor Lewis, who was in our room for a while, Luke Getsy was there, Butkus, Stenavich, you know, guys I spent a lot of time with. Those friendships are special, and it was good to see those guys.

Q. The fans and the crowd, what was it like to see that many Packers fans here? You probably never shut down the "Go Pack Go" chant with a completion.

AARON RODGERS: Say that last part.

Q. They were chanting "Go Pack Go," and you had DK with a 25-yarder. That had to be a strange feeling to quiet that chant for once.

AARON RODGERS: I heard that chant for 18 years. Packers fans travel really well. First time in a while I've used silent count for a home game. That's a credit to those Packer fans.

Q. This team lost two games in a row now. What is needed to get this team back on track?

AARON RODGERS: Well, just an honest assessment. I think setting feelings aside and being okay with criticism, any position, any player, and being honest about what we need to do to improve.

Then we can't beat ourselves. I think in the three losses there's been times where we've had opportunities, and we've hurt ourselves with turnovers or just negative plays, so we got to cut those out. We got to get on the same page on offense and defense and keep the faith.

Q. Did you sign a jersey for Jordan after the game, and are you comfortable sharing what you wrote to him?

AARON RODGERS: No, not comfortable sharing it.

Q. Jordan's game overall, what was your take-away impression of how he performed?

AARON RODGERS: He played great. Played fantastic. He's had a really nice season. He's been really efficient with the football. He's opportunistic, though. I felt like he was very patient tonight. They took the run solutions. He took the check-downs, moved in the pocket well. Thought he played really well.

Q. How much did Isaac Seumalo's injury affect what you were able to do on offense, particularly in the second half not being able to go to using packages with Spencer and Darnell?

AARON RODGERS: Yeah, it took one of our pass catchers off the field and into the offensive line, so that was some change-up for us. But Isaac is a warrior, and he wanted to be back out there, but he was obviously not 100%.

We still have big personnel stuff that we can do with two tight ends instead of Darnell and Spence. Obviously that's been an effective personnel group for us. Didn't have it, but I still felt like we had opportunities to run the ball.

I thought Jaylen in his limited touches, again, he is a damn good runner. I thought he had a nice game.

Q. On the other side of the ball was DeShon's injury and everything he brings day in and day out.

AARON RODGERS: Yeah, I love DeShon. From the first time I was out here in the spring in mini-camp, and he's special. Special guy, and that's tough to see.