Kyle Van Noy on facing Aaron Rodgers: 'I gotta get him back'

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy has held a grudge against Aaron Rodgers for quite a long time. Van Noy recalls facing Rodgers while he was with the Lions and the QB was with the Packers and Rodgers diced them up.

With what Van Noy wanted to do on defense, the defensive coordinator opted to go with a different strategy that cost them. Rodgers made it look easy. 

Now, Van Noy is circling the Ravens-Steelers matchups on the 2025 schedule. Rodgers better be prepared!

“For whatever reason, the D-coordinator, who’s actually the D-coordinator of the Steelers, wanted to go Cover-0 all game against Aaron Rodgers,” Van Noy said, via NFL Network. “He caught us. We’re like, ‘Oh, we gotta run it.’ Ended up scoring a touchdown to Jordy Nelson. He ended up walking by and kind of tapped me on my butt, like, ‘Nice try.’ So I gotta get him back for that. That’s been there for 10 years.”

After two disastrous years with the New York Jets, Rodgers could be renewed in Pittsburgh. However, it could very well be his final season in the NFL.

Still, Van Noy knows the quarterback can still fire the pigskin around at a high level. In fact, Rodgers finished the 2024 season with 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 63% completion percentage. Not too shabby considering the 5-12 record for New York last year.

“I still feel like he’s slinging the ball around,” Van Noy said. “He has the confidence of anybody, and especially being a four-time MVP of the league. He’s coming into the Steelers, who are ready and primed to have a guy at the helm, at the quarterback position, to take them to where they want to go. I feel like they have a good offensive coordinator with Arthur Smith, who’s gonna get back to that ground and pound. I’m excited to see Aaron Rodgers under center to see if he likes it or not.”

The Steelers pursued Rodgers for much of the offseason before he ultimately signed a one-year contract ahead of mandatory minicamp. The deal is worth $13.65 million and $10 million guaranteed, but he has incentives in the deal that could take it up to $19.5 million.

Rodgers will now join a quarterback room that includes Mason Rudolph, Skylar Thompson and rookie Will Howard. He will make his Steelers debut in Week 1 against his former team, the Jets.