Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — Aaron Rodgers recently leapfrogged Ben Roethlisberger on the NFL’s all-time passing leaderboard. Both are future Pro Football Hall of Famers, and the former has looked every bit the part through his first seven games with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
As the Steelers’ Super Bowl XL team gathered before Mike Tomlin’s crew took on the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, No. 7 talked about what it was like to watch No. 8 pass him up in the same uniform he wore for 18 campaigns.
“It’s awesome. I mean Aaron’s a phenomenal football player,” Roethlisberger said. “He’s one of the best to ever do it. First-ballot Hall of Famer, obviously, and it’s really fun to see. I got to talk to him here a little bit ago before the game. It’s just neat to be associated with an organization that he’s associated with, as well.”
Iconic #Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger on what it’s been like watching Aaron Rodgers, the guy who beat him in Super Bowl XLV, play in black and gold: pic.twitter.com/L2NmQJF9zc
— Brendan Howe (@bybrendanhowe) November 2, 2025
Roethlisberger, who appeared in more games than any other Steelers player, believes there’s a mystique to the franchise that draws guys in.
“There’s something about wanting the legacy, the tradition that gets passed down from the Joe Greenes, the Mel Blounts,” Roethlisberger said. “You see them in the buildings — and Franco (Harris) when he was around and stuff — and there’s just something special about that. When guys are bouncing around, there’s obviously something special about being here. You’ve brought some big-name guys in here and they wanna be here and wear the logo and be part of it.
“I just think loyalty and stuff is just different nowadays.”
Rodgers played for the Green Bay Packers for 18 years, bringing home a Lombardi Trophy with a win over the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. He was traded to the New York Jets before the 2023 season, then signed with Pittsburgh this summer.
When he arrived with the Steelers in June, Rodgers named the team’s track record of steadiness and success as part of what made him want to wear black and gold.
“There’s a few iconic franchises in the NFL,” Rodgers said. “I played for one of them for 18 years. This is another one of those. There’s something special about obviously this area.”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Roethlisberger Opens Up About Aaron Rodgers Passing Him on All-Time List
