Former Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will play for the Pittsburgh Steelers this season. The four-time NFL MVP will join his third NFL team. The Packers traded the former Cal star to the New York Jets after the 2022 season. He spent the last two years with the New York Jets, although Rodgers just played a handful of snaps in 2023 before suffering a season-ending injury on the first series of the season opener. The Packers are scheduled to meet the Steelers in Week 8 in Pittsburgh. The game will be on national TV on Sunday night. But this is not the first “revenge game” the Packers have faced. Here are some previous revenge games when former Packers starting quarterbacks faced Green Bay after leaving the team.
The Packers Have a Mixed History with Revenge Games: Brett Favre, 2009 vs Minnesota
Because Brett Favre joined the Minnesota Vikings in 2009 after spending one season with the Jets, the Packers got to face him twice. Unfortunately, neither game went well for the Pack.
In 2009, the Packers faced Brett Favre twice when he signed with the Vikings. The fans were upset about the way Favre left Green Bay and how he orchestrated signing with the division rival Vikings after the Packers purposely traded him to an AFC team in the Jets.
The first meeting came on Week 4 in Minnesota and was played on Monday Night Football. Favre completed 24-of-31 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns as the Vikings beat the Pack 30-23. Rodgers was the quarterback for the Packers. He threw for 384 yards and two touchdowns to go with one pick. The Vikings sacked Rodgers eight times in the game.
Four weeks later, the Vikings visited Lambeau Field for a more emotional moment. Packers fans were mostly hostile to their former hero in his return because of the way he left the team. Some banners at the game said things like, “True legends don’t wear purple” and “Drama Queen.” A plane even circled Lambeau field before the game carrying a banner that read, “Retire 4 Good.”
Favre threw for 244 yards, and four touchdown passes to beat the Packers 38-26. Ironically, although Favre threw more interceptions than any quarterback in NFL history, he threw none in either of these two games. Rodgers threw for three touchdowns and 287 yards in a losing cause and was sacked six times.
Don Majkowski, 1996 vs Detroit
The Packers selected Don Majkowski in the 10th round of the 1987 NFL Draft. “The Majik Man” started 49 games for the team between 1987 and 1992. He was injured in the Packers Week 3 game against the Bengals and replaced by Favre. Favre started every game for the Packers from Week 4 of 1992 through the end of the 2007 season.
In 1993, Majkowski signed with the Colts and then two years later, joined the Lions. He started against the Packers in Week 10 of the 1996 season at Lambeau Field. The Packers won the game 28-18.
Majkowski completed just 15-of-32 passes for 153 yards against the Packers. He did throw a touchdown, but it came late in the game with the Packers already ahead by 18 points. Green Bay sacked Majkowski five times with Santana Dotson recorded two of them.
Favre outplayed Majkowski, passing for 281 yards and four touchdowns with two going to reserve wideout Terry Mickens.
The Packers Have a Mixed History with Revenge Games: Don Horn, 1971 vs Denver
Vince Lombardi chose San Diego State cornerback Don Horn in the first round of the 1967 NFL Draft. He was supposed to be the heir apparent to the aging Bart Starr who was nearing the end of his Hall of Fame career.
Horn spent four seasons with the Packers and started six games, winning four of them. When Dan Devine took over as coach and GM before the 1971 season, he traded Horn to the Broncos in a deal that got the Packers defensive end Alden Roche and the draft pick that became running back John Brockington.
In Week 2 of the 1971 season, Horn started for Denver the Packers at Milwaukee County Stadium. The Packers won the game 34-13 and intercepted Horn six times including three by cornerback Ken Ellis.
Brockington ran for 85 yards and a touchdown as part of the Packers 214-yard effort on the ground. Horn finished the game 16-of-33 for 186 yards and the six picks. He did not throw a touchdown and was benched late in the game for Steve Ramsey.
The game this season against Pittsburgh will be the next major revenge game by a former Packers quarterback if Rodgers is healthy and starts for the Steelers. Even though the game is in Pittsburgh, it promises to be full of drama and storylines for both teams as Rodgers goes head to head with the Packers and Jordan Love.
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