Aaron Rodgers left Week 1 with a win over the Falcons, but the moment that really traveled had nothing to do with the final score.
A handwritten note from Rodgers to Za’Darius Smith surfaced on X Monday night, and it showed the Steelers quarterback reaching out to an old Packers teammate after Pittsburgh’s 20-13 victory. Falcons fan account @Carrie_ATL posted two photos from the game: one of the card itself and one of Rodgers’ message in his handwriting.
“Z, I enjoyed our time together brother and I love seeing you back in the game! Your energy & smile are contagious my friend! Have a great year!”
Rodgers and Smith were teammates in Green Bay from 2019 to 2021. Smith built much of his Packers résumé alongside Preston Smith, while Rodgers ran the offense. Those years included Smith’s best stretch as a pro, highlighted by 13.5 sacks in 2019 and Pro Bowl selections in Green Bay.
Now the two are in very different places. Rodgers is in Pittsburgh after reuniting with Mike McCarthy in black and gold, and he has said this is his last NFL season.
Smith signed with Atlanta in August after a brief retirement, having left the Eagles last October. The Falcons needed help off the edge after Jalon Walker’s ACL tear and James Pearce Jr.’s suspension, and Smith came in on a one-year deal while dealing with a shoulder issue in Week 1.
The gesture mattered because it fit the moment. Smith is 33 going on 34 and had already stepped away once, and Rodgers’ note didn’t mention sacks or the scoreboard. It was about Smith being back, his energy, and the kind of smile Rodgers still remembered.
The game itself was far from a shootout. Rodgers finished 24-of-40 for 221 yards and a touchdown, while Atlanta started Cooper Rush because Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. were out. On the same night, Rodgers also handed McCarthy a game ball after the coach picked up his first Steelers win.
Two different gestures, one night, and one old connection that still clearly means something.
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The result was a rough night for a quarterback who needed cleaner answers from the people around him. Love finished with a completion rate of 46 percent, and when the pressure kept coming late, Minnesota was able to turn that into a scoring run that widened the gap. The Packers know the issue is bigger than one off night, because until the line gives Love more stability, every defense will keep testing the same weak spot. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Receiver Debate Just Got More Uncomfortable After Wicks' Debut
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Christian Watson did his part with a strong Week 1 showing, but the rest of the Packers' passing game was uneven enough to keep the old questions hanging around. With the receiver room still looking unsettled behind Watson, Wicks' early impact in Philadelphia only makes the trade feel more uncomfortable in Green Bay, where the return will be measured against every shaky stretch the offense goes through this fall. [Read more 🡒]