Football is weird. We spend all week looking at spreadsheets and expected points added, but then a game like Green Bay vs Steelers happens and everything goes sideways. You’ve got two of the oldest, most traditional franchises in the league. They don’t play often—only once every few years because they're in different conferences—but when they do, it usually feels like a heavyweight fight in a phone booth.
Honestly, it’s about the "aura." You can’t quantify it. You just feel it when the Terrible Towels start waving and the Cheeseheads show up in the same stadium.
Most recently, we saw this play out in a way nobody really expected. It was October 26, 2025. The setting was Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. On paper, the Steelers looked like they had the psychological edge, especially with a certain legendary quarterback named Aaron Rodgers now wearing black and gold. Seeing Rodgers go up against his old team was surreal. For half the game, it looked like the old master was going to school his replacement.
The Night Jordan Love Found His Gear
Pittsburgh held a 16-7 lead at halftime. Green Bay looked disjointed. They’d missed field goals. They’d sputtered on three-and-outs.
Then the third quarter hit.
Jordan Love did something that tied him with the literal GOAT of Green Bay, Brett Favre. He completed 20 passes in a row. Not "easy" passes, either. He was threading needles to Tucker Kraft, who ended up with a massive 143 yards and two scores. Love finished that night 29-of-37 for 360 yards and three touchdowns.
The Packers outscored the Steelers 28-3 in the second half until a late garbage-time touchdown by Pittsburgh. It ended 35-25. It wasn't just a win; it was the first time Green Bay had won in Pittsburgh since 1970. Think about that. Since Richard Nixon was in office. Bart Starr was the quarterback the last time the Packers left the Steel City with a win.
🔗 Read more: New Zealand Breakers vs Illawarra Hawks: What Most People Get Wrong
That Super Bowl XLV Hangover
You can’t talk about Green Bay vs Steelers without mentioning February 6, 2011. Super Bowl XLV.
That game is the reason these two fanbases still look at each other with a squint. It was the "what if" game for Pittsburgh. What if Rashard Mendenhall didn't fumble? What if Ben Roethlisberger's arm hadn't been hit by Howard Green on that first-quarter interception to Nick Collins?
Green Bay won 31-25. It’s a score that feels hauntingly similar to their 2025 matchup, actually.
In that championship game, the Packers were the first 6-seed in NFC history to make the run and win it all. Aaron Rodgers was the MVP, throwing for 304 yards and three touchdowns. But for Steelers fans, the game is remembered as a series of missed opportunities. They outgained Green Bay (387 yards to 338) and held the ball for over 33 minutes.
Stats don't win rings. Turnovers do. Green Bay turned three Pittsburgh mistakes into 21 points. That’s the story of this rivalry: whoever blinks first usually loses.
The All-Time Series Reality Check
If you look at the history, Green Bay has the upper hand, but it’s closer than you might think. After the 2025 win, the Packers lead the all-time series 21-17.
💡 You might also like: New Jersey Giants Football Explained: Why Most People Still Get the "Home Team" Wrong
- 1933: The first game ever. Packers won 47-0.
- The 1940s: Green Bay dominated early, winning the first nine meetings.
- Modern Era: Since 1998, the Steelers have actually won five of the last eight meetings.
The "Home Field" curse was real for a long time. Pittsburgh had won six straight home games against the Packers until that 2025 collapse. There’s something about the wind coming off the river in Pittsburgh that used to give Green Bay fits.
Why the 2025 Game Changed the Narrative
The 2025 matchup was a "passing of the torch" moment. We saw Matt LaFleur’s offense finally look like the juggernaut people hoped it would be. Rashan Gary and Micah Parsons (a massive addition to that defense) made life miserable for Rodgers. Gary got to him twice.
It was a physical, nasty game. Jaylen Warren was hammering into the line for 62 yards, and the Steelers' defense, led by T.J. Watt, was flying around. But once Love got into that rhythm—that 20-completion-streak rhythm—the momentum shift was like a tidal wave.
What We Learned About These Teams
When these two meet, it’s a litmus test. Pittsburgh usually represents the "toughness" standard of the AFC. If you can move the ball on a Mike Tomlin-coached defense, you’re for real.
For the Packers, the 2025 win proved that Jordan Love isn't just a "system QB." He handled the noise. He handled the pressure of playing against a franchise icon.
On the other side, Pittsburgh showed they are never out of it. Even when down by double digits in the fourth, they were one two-point conversion away from making it a one-score game. Ty’Ron Hopper’s pass breakup on a ball meant for Jonnu Smith was the only thing that actually sealed it.
📖 Related: Nebraska Cornhuskers Women's Basketball: What Really Happened This Season
Takeaways for the Next Time They Meet
Don't bet on a blowout. History says these games are decided by a touchdown or less.
If you're looking at this matchup from a betting or fan perspective, watch the turnover margin. In both Super Bowl XLV and the 2025 regular-season game, the winner was the team that protected the ball better and capitalized on a single fumble or interception.
Keep an eye on the tight ends. In the modern era of this rivalry, the middle of the field is where the damage happens. Whether it’s Heath Miller back in the day or Tucker Kraft now, the linebackers on both sides struggle to keep up with the athletic mismatch.
The next time Green Bay vs Steelers shows up on the schedule, ignore the records. It doesn't matter if one team is 0-6 and the other is undefeated. This is a game of heritage, and in the NFL, that’s as close to a guaranteed classic as you can get.
To prep for the next clash, go back and watch the second half of the October 2025 game. Pay attention to how the Packers used pre-snap motion to confuse the Steelers' zone. It’s a blueprint that every AFC North team has been trying to copy since.