Quarterbacks Combine for Seven Touchdowns
by Bo Marchionte
@bomarchionte | College2Pro.com
Published September 7, 2025, 5:39 PM
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Week 1 at MetLife Stadium was supposed to be about questions. Could Aaron Rodgers still play at a high level after being discarded in New York? Could Justin Fields shake off the frustrations of Pittsburgh and thrive in a system that finally believed in him?
By the end of four quarters, there were no questions left. There were only fireworks, as Rodgers and Fields combined for seven touchdowns in a dazzling duel that ended with the Steelers edging the Jets 34-32.
Rodgers, wearing black and gold for the first time, delivered the kind of command the Steelers haven’t seen since Ben Roethlisberger. He completed 23 of 30 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns without a turnover, the picture of efficiency and poise.
“I just thought he was game all day,” Mike Tomlin said. “But again, you guys asked me last week, why I was confident? That’s why I was confident. That’s what I’ve been looking for in preparation.”
Fields, meanwhile, looked reborn.
In his New York debut, he shredded Pittsburgh with both his arm and legs, completing 16 of 22 passes for 218 yards and a touchdown while rushing 12 times for 48 yards and two more scores. He escaped pressure, extended plays, and gave the Jets the kind of offensive pulse they have been chasing for years. Every time Rodgers answered, Fields fired back with a response of his own.
The duel started immediately. Rodgers was sacked on his very first snap, but instead of flinching, he marched Pittsburgh down the field and finished the drive with a touchdown to Ben Skowronek.
Fields responded like a prizefighter taking a punch, firing a 33-yard touchdown strike to Garrett Wilson on the Jets’ next possession. A missed Nick Folk field goal was erased by penalty, and the Jets took advantage, though their two-point try fell short.
Chris Boswell’s 56-yard field goal pushed Pittsburgh back ahead, but Fields was relentless, setting up rookie Braelon Allen’s bruising touchdown run and later slicing through the defense to score himself from the 1-yard line. By halftime, Rodgers and Fields had turned the game into a showcase of timing, toughness, and raw talent.
The second half only heightened the duel. Fields continued to move the sticks with his legs and poise, keeping New York drives alive. Rodgers showed why the Steelers invested in him, punishing the Jets after Kenneth Gainwell forced a turnover, delivering his fourth touchdown pass of the day to flip the game. And when Pittsburgh needed him most, Boswell boomed a career-long 60-yard field goal to give them the winning margin. The last gasp belonged to the defense, as Jalen Ramsey jarred the ball loose from Wilson to end New York’s final drive, but by then the story was already written in the quarterbacks’ brilliance.
Rodgers didn’t just win on the field he won over the locker room. After the game, he made a point to walk over to rookie center Zach Frazier and shake his hand in gratitude.
“Yeah, it’s pretty cool. It’s pretty awesome,” Frazier said. “See how he controls the offense, and you know, how he controls the game is pretty special. It seemed like the offense was having fun the whole day. It was a great day.”
That was the truth of this game was two quarterbacks, both unwanted in their previous stops, both redefining themselves in one unforgettable opener.
For Frazier, it was also a reunion with his former teammate Fields, who impressed him in a different uniform.
“Justin was a great teammate, one of the best I’ve had since coming to the NFL. He looked great out there, and I hope he has a great season.”
Rodgers showed he can still control the game at will. Fields proved he can thrive in the right system. The Steelers left with the win, the Jets with encouragement, but the league with something bigger a reminder that sometimes second chances bring out the best in quarterbacks.
Photo Credit Frank Hyatt/College2Pro.com
